diff --git a/scrapemed/tests/test_trees.py b/scrapemed/tests/test_trees.py
index b49dda9..69cd194 100644
--- a/scrapemed/tests/test_trees.py
+++ b/scrapemed/tests/test_trees.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def test_scrape():
     assert trees._generate_tag_dictionary(test_root) == CORRECT_DATA_DICT 
 
     #simply test that the visualization function runs
-    trees.visualize_element_tree(test_root, title = 'data/test_text_vis.gv')
+    trees.visualize_element_tree(test_root, title = 'data/test_text_vis.gv', test_mode = True)
     trees.investigate_xml_tree(test_root)
 
     return None
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scrapemed/trees.py b/scrapemed/trees.py
index dfa4c10..f4205ba 100644
--- a/scrapemed/trees.py
+++ b/scrapemed/trees.py
@@ -32,12 +32,13 @@ def investigate_xml_tree(root: ET.Element)->None:
     print("--------------------------------------------\n")
     return
 
-def visualize_element_tree(root: ET.Element, title = 'data/element_tree.gv')->None:
+def visualize_element_tree(root: ET.Element, title = 'data/element_tree.gv', test_mode=False)->None:
     """Visualize an XML element tree using Graphviz."""
     root = copy.copy(root)
     dot = Digraph()
     _add_elements(dot, root)
-    dot.render(title, view=True)
+    if not test_mode:
+        dot.render(title, view=True)
     return
 
 def _add_elements(dot: Digraph, element: ET.Element, parent=None):