diff --git a/starlette/testclient.py b/starlette/testclient.py
index 7d4f3e396..099edc3ff 100644
--- a/starlette/testclient.py
+++ b/starlette/testclient.py
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ def __init__(
         backend_options: typing.Optional[typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]] = None,
         cookies: httpx._client.CookieTypes = None,
         headers: typing.Dict[str, str] = None,
+        follow_redirects: bool = True,
     ) -> None:
         self.async_backend = _AsyncBackend(
             backend=backend, backend_options=backend_options or {}
@@ -409,7 +410,7 @@ def __init__(
             base_url=base_url,
             headers=headers,
             transport=transport,
-            follow_redirects=True,
+            follow_redirects=follow_redirects,
             cookies=cookies,
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_testclient.py b/tests/test_testclient.py
index 1bf9692a6..0f36d4dcc 100644
--- a/tests/test_testclient.py
+++ b/tests/test_testclient.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 from starlette.applications import Starlette
 from starlette.middleware import Middleware
-from starlette.responses import JSONResponse, Response
+from starlette.responses import JSONResponse, RedirectResponse, Response
 from starlette.routing import Route
 from starlette.testclient import TestClient
 from starlette.websockets import WebSocket, WebSocketDisconnect
@@ -319,3 +319,26 @@ async def app(scope, receive, send):
     response = client.get("/")
     cookie_set = len(response.cookies) == 1
     assert cookie_set == ok
+
+
+def test_forward_follow_redirects(test_client_factory):
+    async def app(scope, receive, send):
+        if "/ok" in scope["path"]:
+            response = Response("ok")
+        else:
+            response = RedirectResponse("/ok")
+        await response(scope, receive, send)
+
+    client = test_client_factory(app, follow_redirects=True)
+    response = client.get("/")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_forward_nofollow_redirects(test_client_factory):
+    async def app(scope, receive, send):
+        response = RedirectResponse("/ok")
+        await response(scope, receive, send)
+
+    client = test_client_factory(app, follow_redirects=False)
+    response = client.get("/")
+    assert response.status_code == 307