diff --git a/bin/install-package-tests b/bin/install-package-tests
index 27fb98de2..304744214 100755
--- a/bin/install-package-tests
+++ b/bin/install-package-tests
@@ -60,17 +60,54 @@ if [ -n "${WP_CLI_TEST_DBPASS}" ]; then
   TEST_PASSWORD="${WP_CLI_TEST_DBPASS}"
 fi
 
-echo 'Checking if MySQL is ready...'
-while ! mysql ${HOST_STRING} --user="${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}" --execute="SHOW DATABASES;" | grep 'information_schema' >/dev/null;
-do
-  echo 'Waiting for MySQL...'
-  sleep 5
-  i=$((i+1))
-  if [ $i -gt 36 ]; then
-	echo 'MySQL failed to start. Aborting.'
-	exit 1
-  fi
-done
+echo "Detecting database version..."
+
+TYPE="MySQL"
+CLIENT_VERSION=$(mysql --version 2>/dev/null)
+
+case "${CLIENT_VERSION}" in
+	*"MariaDB"*)
+		TYPE="MariaDB"
+		;;
+esac
+
+if [ "${TYPE}" = "MySQL" ]; then
+	SERVER_VERSION=$(mysql -e "SELECT VERSION()" --skip-column-names ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}")
+else
+	SERVER_VERSION=$(mariadb -e "SELECT VERSION()" --skip-column-names ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}")
+fi
+
+VERSION=$(echo "${SERVER_VERSION}" | grep -o '^[^-]*')
+MAJOR=$(echo "${VERSION}" | cut -d. -f1)
+MINOR=$(echo "${VERSION}" | cut -d. -f2)
+
+echo "Detected ${TYPE} at version ${MAJOR}.${MINOR}"
+
+echo 'Checking if database is ready...'
+
+if [ "${TYPE}" = "MySQL" ]; then
+	while ! mysql ${HOST_STRING} --user="${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}" --execute="SHOW DATABASES;" | grep 'information_schema' >/dev/null;
+	do
+		echo 'Waiting for database...'
+		sleep 5
+		i=$((i+1))
+		if [ $i -gt 36 ]; then
+		echo 'Database failed to start. Aborting.'
+		exit 1
+		fi
+	done
+else
+	while ! mariadb ${HOST_STRING} --user="${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}" --execute="SHOW DATABASES;" | grep 'information_schema' >/dev/null;
+	do
+		echo 'Waiting for database...'
+		sleep 5
+		i=$((i+1))
+		if [ $i -gt 36 ]; then
+		echo 'Database failed to start. Aborting.'
+		exit 1
+		fi
+	done
+fi
 
 # Prepare the database for running the tests with a MySQL version 8.0 or higher.
 install_mysql_db_8_0_plus() {
@@ -89,21 +126,18 @@ install_mysql_db_lower_than_8_0() {
 	mysql -e "GRANT ALL ON \`${TEST_DB}_scaffold\`.* TO '${TEST_USER}'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY '${TEST_PASSWORD}'" ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}"
 }
 
-VERSION_STRING=$(mysql -e "SELECT VERSION()" --skip-column-names ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}")
-VERSION=$(echo "${VERSION_STRING}" | grep -o '^[^-]*')
-MAJOR=$(echo "${VERSION}" | cut -d. -f1)
-MINOR=$(echo "${VERSION}" | cut -d. -f2)
-TYPE="MySQL"
-case "${VERSION_STRING}" in
-	*"MariaDB"*)
-		TYPE="MariaDB"
-		;;
-esac
-
-echo "Detected ${TYPE} at version ${MAJOR}.${MINOR}"
-
+# Prepare the database for running the tests with MariaDB
+install_mariadb() {
+	set -ex
+	mariadb -e "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS \`${TEST_DB}\`;" ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}"
+	mariadb -e "CREATE USER IF NOT EXISTS \`${TEST_USER}\`@'%' IDENTIFIED BY '${TEST_PASSWORD}'" ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}"
+	mariadb -e "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON \`${TEST_DB}\`.* TO '${TEST_USER}'@'%'" ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}"
+	mariadb -e "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON \`${TEST_DB}_scaffold\`.* TO '${TEST_USER}'@'%'" ${HOST_STRING} -u"${USER}" "${PASSWORD_STRING}"
+}
 
-if [ "${TYPE}" != "MariaDB" ] && [ "${MAJOR}" -ge 8 ]; then
+if [ "${TYPE}" = "MariaDB" ]; then
+	install_mariadb
+elif [ "${MAJOR}" -ge 8 ]; then
 	install_mysql_db_8_0_plus
 else
 	install_mysql_db_lower_than_8_0
diff --git a/features/steps.feature b/features/steps.feature
index 3933aed46..d8ad66dc7 100644
--- a/features/steps.feature
+++ b/features/steps.feature
@@ -67,3 +67,11 @@ Feature: Make sure "Given", "When", "Then" steps work as expected
     When I run `echo {WP_VERSION-latest}`
     Then STDOUT should match /\d\.\d/
     And STDERR should be empty
+
+  @require-mysql-or-mariadb
+  Scenario: SQL related variables
+    When I run `echo {MYSQL_BINARY}`
+    Then STDOUT should match /(mysql|mariadb)/
+
+    When I run `echo {SQL_DUMP_COMMAND}`
+    Then STDOUT should match /(mysqldump|mariadb-dump)/
diff --git a/src/Context/FeatureContext.php b/src/Context/FeatureContext.php
index 2dc4e3348..b8f4502fb 100644
--- a/src/Context/FeatureContext.php
+++ b/src/Context/FeatureContext.php
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ class FeatureContext implements SnippetAcceptingContext {
 	 */
 	private static $db_type = 'mysql';
 
+	/**
+	 *  Name of mysql binary to use (mysql or mariadb). Default to mysql
+	 */
+	private static $mysql_binary = 'mysql';
+
 	/**
 	 * Array of background process ids started by the current scenario. Used to terminate them at the end of the scenario.
 	 */
@@ -552,6 +557,7 @@ public static function prepare( BeforeSuiteScope $scope ) {
 			self::log_run_times_before_suite( $scope );
 		}
 		self::$behat_run_dir = getcwd();
+		self::$mysql_binary  = Utils\get_mysql_binary_path();
 
 		$result = Process::create( 'wp cli info', null, self::get_process_env_variables() )->run_check();
 		echo "{$result->stdout}\n";
@@ -603,6 +609,12 @@ public function beforeScenario( BeforeScenarioScope $scope ) {
 			self::get_behat_internal_variables()
 		);
 
+		$mysql_binary     = Utils\get_mysql_binary_path();
+		$sql_dump_command = Utils\get_sql_dump_command();
+
+		$this->variables['MYSQL_BINARY']     = $mysql_binary;
+		$this->variables['SQL_DUMP_COMMAND'] = $sql_dump_command;
+
 		// Used in the names of the RUN_DIR and SUITE_CACHE_DIR directories.
 		self::$temp_dir_infix = null;
 		$file                 = self::get_event_file( $scope, $line );
@@ -980,7 +992,7 @@ public function create_db() {
 		}
 
 		$dbname = self::$db_settings['dbname'];
-		self::run_sql( 'mysql --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS $dbname" ] );
+		self::run_sql( self::$mysql_binary . ' --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS $dbname" ] );
 	}
 
 	public function drop_db() {
@@ -988,7 +1000,7 @@ public function drop_db() {
 			return;
 		}
 		$dbname = self::$db_settings['dbname'];
-		self::run_sql( 'mysql --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS $dbname" ] );
+		self::run_sql( self::$mysql_binary . ' --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS $dbname" ] );
 	}
 
 	public function proc( $command, $assoc_args = [], $path = '' ) {
@@ -1149,7 +1161,7 @@ public function install_wp( $subdir = '' ) {
 		// Disable WP Cron by default to avoid bogus HTTP requests in CLI context.
 		$config_extra_php = "if ( ! defined( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON' ) ) { define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true ); }\n";
 
-		if ( 'mysql' === self::$db_type ) {
+		if ( 'sqlite' !== self::$db_type ) {
 			$this->create_db();
 		}
 		$this->create_run_dir();
@@ -1179,7 +1191,7 @@ public function install_wp( $subdir = '' ) {
 			if ( 'sqlite' === self::$db_type ) {
 				copy( "{$install_cache_path}.sqlite", "$run_dir/wp-content/database/.ht.sqlite" );
 			} else {
-				self::run_sql( 'mysql --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "source {$install_cache_path}.sql" ], true /*add_database*/ );
+				self::run_sql( self::$mysql_binary . ' --no-defaults', [ 'execute' => "source {$install_cache_path}.sql" ], true /*add_database*/ );
 			}
 		} else {
 			$this->proc( 'wp core install', $install_args, $subdir )->run_check();
@@ -1189,8 +1201,9 @@ public function install_wp( $subdir = '' ) {
 
 				self::dir_diff_copy( $run_dir, self::$cache_dir, $install_cache_path );
 
-				if ( 'mysql' === self::$db_type ) {
-					$mysqldump_binary          = Utils\force_env_on_nix_systems( 'mysqldump' );
+				if ( 'sqlite' !== self::$db_type ) {
+					$mysqldump_binary          = Utils\get_sql_dump_command();
+					$mysqldump_binary          = Utils\force_env_on_nix_systems( $mysqldump_binary );
 					$support_column_statistics = exec( "{$mysqldump_binary} --help | grep 'column-statistics'" );
 					$command                   = "{$mysqldump_binary} --no-defaults --no-tablespaces";
 					if ( $support_column_statistics ) {
diff --git a/tests/tests/TestBehatTags.php b/tests/tests/TestBehatTags.php
index d819a181e..115e7f899 100644
--- a/tests/tests/TestBehatTags.php
+++ b/tests/tests/TestBehatTags.php
@@ -51,11 +51,21 @@ public function test_behat_tags_wp_version_github_token( $env, $expected ) {
 			$expected .= '&&~@broken-trunk';
 		}
 
-		if ( 'sqlite' !== $db_type ) {
-			$expected .= '&&~@require-sqlite';
-		}
-		if ( 'sqlite' === $db_type ) {
-			$expected .= '&&~@require-mysql';
+		switch ( $db_type ) {
+			case 'mariadb':
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-mysql';
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-sqlite';
+				break;
+			case 'sqlite':
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-mariadb';
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-mysql';
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-mysql-or-mariadb';
+				break;
+			case 'mysql':
+			default:
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-mariadb';
+				$expected .= '&&~@require-sqlite';
+				break;
 		}
 
 		$this->assertSame( '--tags=' . $expected, $output );
@@ -131,7 +141,7 @@ public function test_behat_tags_php_version() {
 		file_put_contents( $this->temp_dir . '/features/php_version.feature', $contents );
 
 		$output = exec( "cd {$this->temp_dir}; php $behat_tags" );
-		$this->assertSame( '--tags=' . $expected . '&&~@github-api&&~@broken&&~@require-sqlite', $output );
+		$this->assertSame( '--tags=' . $expected . '&&~@github-api&&~@broken&&~@require-mariadb&&~@require-sqlite', $output );
 
 		putenv( false === $env_github_token ? 'GITHUB_TOKEN' : "GITHUB_TOKEN=$env_github_token" );
 	}
@@ -148,12 +158,23 @@ public function test_behat_tags_extension() {
 
 		$expecteds = array();
 
-		if ( 'sqlite' !== $db_type ) {
-			$expecteds[] = '~@require-sqlite';
-		}
-		if ( 'sqlite' === $db_type ) {
-			$expecteds[] = '~@require-mysql';
+		switch ( $db_type ) {
+			case 'mariadb':
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-mysql';
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-sqlite';
+				break;
+			case 'sqlite':
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-mariadb';
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-mysql';
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-mysql-or-mariadb';
+				break;
+			case 'mysql':
+			default:
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-mariadb';
+				$expecteds[] = '~@require-sqlite';
+				break;
 		}
+
 		if ( ! extension_loaded( 'imagick' ) ) {
 			$expecteds[] = '~@require-extension-imagick';
 		}
diff --git a/utils/behat-tags.php b/utils/behat-tags.php
index e36a6e4fa..5571fe996 100644
--- a/utils/behat-tags.php
+++ b/utils/behat-tags.php
@@ -79,15 +79,23 @@ function version_tags(
 	$skip_tags[] = '@broken-trunk';
 }
 
-if ( 'sqlite' === getenv( 'WP_CLI_TEST_DBTYPE' ) ) {
-	$skip_tags[] = '@require-mysql';
+switch ( getenv( 'WP_CLI_TEST_DBTYPE' ) ) {
+	case 'mariadb':
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-mysql';
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-sqlite';
+		break;
+	case 'sqlite':
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-mariadb';
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-mysql';
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-mysql-or-mariadb';
+		break;
+	case 'mysql':
+	default:
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-mariadb';
+		$skip_tags[] = '@require-sqlite';
+		break;
 }
 
-if ( 'sqlite' !== getenv( 'WP_CLI_TEST_DBTYPE' ) ) {
-	$skip_tags[] = '@require-sqlite';
-}
-
-
 # Require PHP extension, eg 'imagick'.
 function extension_tags( $features_folder = 'features' ) {
 	$extension_tags = array();