diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3b0ca3f4a38..9de4eef72ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ name
 [shadow_same](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#shadow_same)                                           | allow   | rebinding a name to itself, e.g. `let mut x = &mut x`
 [shadow_unrelated](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#shadow_unrelated)                                 | allow   | The name is re-bound without even using the original value
 [should_implement_trait](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#should_implement_trait)                     | warn    | defining a method that should be implementing a std trait
-[similar_names](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#similar_names)                                       | warn    | similarly named items and bindings
+[similar_names](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#similar_names)                                       | allow   | similarly named items and bindings
 [single_char_pattern](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#single_char_pattern)                           | warn    | using a single-character str where a char could be used, e.g. `_.split("x")`
 [single_match](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#single_match)                                         | warn    | a match statement with a single nontrivial arm (i.e, where the other arm is `_ => {}`) is used; recommends `if let` instead
 [single_match_else](https://github.com/Manishearth/rust-clippy/wiki#single_match_else)                               | allow   | a match statement with a two arms where the second arm's pattern is a wildcard; recommends `if let` instead
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e22d85a43e1..435e6998c16 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ pub fn plugin_registrar(reg: &mut Registry) {
         methods::WRONG_PUB_SELF_CONVENTION,
         mut_mut::MUT_MUT,
         mutex_atomic::MUTEX_INTEGER,
+        non_expressive_names::SIMILAR_NAMES,
         print::PRINT_STDOUT,
         print::USE_DEBUG,
         shadow::SHADOW_REUSE,
@@ -368,7 +369,6 @@ pub fn plugin_registrar(reg: &mut Registry) {
         new_without_default::NEW_WITHOUT_DEFAULT,
         no_effect::NO_EFFECT,
         non_expressive_names::MANY_SINGLE_CHAR_NAMES,
-        non_expressive_names::SIMILAR_NAMES,
         open_options::NONSENSICAL_OPEN_OPTIONS,
         overflow_check_conditional::OVERFLOW_CHECK_CONDITIONAL,
         panic::PANIC_PARAMS,
diff --git a/src/non_expressive_names.rs b/src/non_expressive_names.rs
index a6f0571c499..0c6fdc37066 100644
--- a/src/non_expressive_names.rs
+++ b/src/non_expressive_names.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ use rustc::lint::*;
 use syntax::codemap::Span;
 use syntax::parse::token::InternedString;
 use syntax::ast::*;
-use syntax::visit::{self, FnKind};
+use syntax::attr;
+use syntax::visit;
 use utils::{span_lint_and_then, in_macro, span_lint};
 
 /// **What it does:** This lint warns about names that are very similar and thus confusing
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ use utils::{span_lint_and_then, in_macro, span_lint};
 /// **Example:** `checked_exp` and `checked_expr`
 declare_lint! {
     pub SIMILAR_NAMES,
-    Warn,
+    Allow,
     "similarly named items and bindings"
 }
 
@@ -237,24 +238,28 @@ impl<'v, 'a, 'b> visit::Visitor<'v> for SimilarNamesLocalVisitor<'a, 'b> {
         });
     }
     fn visit_item(&mut self, _: &'v Item) {
-        // do nothing
+        // do not recurse into inner items
     }
 }
 
 impl EarlyLintPass for NonExpressiveNames {
-    fn check_fn(&mut self, cx: &EarlyContext, _: FnKind, decl: &FnDecl, blk: &Block, _: Span, _: NodeId) {
-        let mut visitor = SimilarNamesLocalVisitor {
-            names: Vec::new(),
-            cx: cx,
-            lint: &self,
-            single_char_names: Vec::new(),
-        };
-        // initialize with function arguments
-        for arg in &decl.inputs {
-            visit::walk_pat(&mut SimilarNamesNameVisitor(&mut visitor), &arg.pat);
+    fn check_item(&mut self, cx: &EarlyContext, item: &Item) {
+        if let ItemKind::Fn(ref decl, _, _, _, _, ref blk) = item.node {
+            if !attr::contains_name(&item.attrs, "test") {
+                let mut visitor = SimilarNamesLocalVisitor {
+                    names: Vec::new(),
+                    cx: cx,
+                    lint: &self,
+                    single_char_names: Vec::new(),
+                };
+                // initialize with function arguments
+                for arg in &decl.inputs {
+                    visit::walk_pat(&mut SimilarNamesNameVisitor(&mut visitor), &arg.pat);
+                }
+                // walk all other bindings
+                visit::walk_block(&mut visitor, blk);
+            }
         }
-        // walk all other bindings
-        visit::walk_block(&mut visitor, blk);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/compile-fail/non_expressive_names.rs b/tests/compile-fail/non_expressive_names.rs
index b756253e6ad..61fe0067a27 100644
--- a/tests/compile-fail/non_expressive_names.rs
+++ b/tests/compile-fail/non_expressive_names.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #![feature(plugin)]
 #![plugin(clippy)]
-#![deny(clippy)]
+#![deny(clippy,similar_names)]
 //~^ NOTE: lint level defined here
 //~| NOTE: lint level defined here
 //~| NOTE: lint level defined here