diff --git a/pandas/conftest.py b/pandas/conftest.py
index 5aa644bb942f8..f383fb32810e7 100644
--- a/pandas/conftest.py
+++ b/pandas/conftest.py
@@ -275,7 +275,12 @@ def join_type(request):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def datapath(request):
+def strict_data_files(pytestconfig):
+    return pytestconfig.getoption("--strict-data-files")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def datapath(strict_data_files):
     """Get the path to a data file.
 
     Parameters
@@ -297,7 +302,7 @@ def datapath(request):
     def deco(*args):
         path = os.path.join(BASE_PATH, *args)
         if not os.path.exists(path):
-            if request.config.getoption("--strict-data-files"):
+            if strict_data_files:
                 msg = "Could not find file {} and --strict-data-files is set."
                 raise ValueError(msg.format(path))
             else:
diff --git a/pandas/tests/util/test_util.py b/pandas/tests/util/test_util.py
index a2dc9b699566a..e40784fd5467c 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/util/test_util.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/util/test_util.py
@@ -100,13 +100,13 @@ def test_assert_raises_regex_deprecated():
             assert 1 == 2, msg
 
 
-def test_datapath_missing(datapath, request):
-    if not request.config.getoption("--strict-data-files"):
-        pytest.skip("Need to set '--strict-data-files'")
-
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('strict_data_files', [True, False])
+def test_datapath_missing(datapath):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Could not find file"):
         datapath("not_a_file")
 
+
+def test_datapath(datapath):
     args = ("data", "iris.csv")
 
     result = datapath(*args)