diff --git a/src/Makefile.test.include b/src/Makefile.test.include
index 147add3eb5..308b1c88c0 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.test.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.test.include
@@ -151,8 +151,10 @@ bitcoin_test_clean : FORCE
 	rm -f $(CLEAN_BITCOIN_TEST) $(test_test_bitcoin_OBJECTS) $(TEST_BINARY)
 
 check-local:
+if BUILD_BITCOIN_TX
 	@echo "Running test/util/bitcoin-util-test.py..."
 	$(PYTHON) $(top_builddir)/test/util/bitcoin-util-test.py
+endif
 if EMBEDDED_LIBSECP256K1
 	$(AM_V_at)$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) -C secp256k1 check
 endif