diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 5a998b3..1a9b293 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ if ENABLE_JSONC
 check_PROGRAMS += test-conf
 test_conf_CFLAGS = $(JSONC_CFLAGS)
 test_conf_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libfontconfig.la $(JSONC_LIBS)
-TESTS += run-test-conf.sh
 endif
+TESTS += run-test-conf.sh
 
 check_PROGRAMS += test-bz106618
 test_bz106618_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libfontconfig.la
diff --git a/test/run-test-conf.sh b/test/run-test-conf.sh
index 437bafa..e085e82 100644
--- a/test/run-test-conf.sh
+++ b/test/run-test-conf.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ BUILDTESTDIR=${builddir-"$MyPWD"}
 
 RUNNER=../test/test-conf$EXEEXT
 
+if [ ! -f ${RUNNER} ]; then
+    echo "${RUNNER} not found!\n"
+    echo "Building this test requires libjson-c development files to be available."
+    exit 77 # SKIP
+fi
+
 for i in \
 	60-generic.conf \
 	90-synthetic.conf \