diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7eef51d38d..de88f38281 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -4517,14 +4517,23 @@ libnm_glib_tests_cppflags = \
 	$(DBUS_CFLAGS) \
 	$(NULL)
 
-libnm_glib_tests_programs_req_introspection = \
-	libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client \
-	libnm-glib/tests/test-remote-settings-client
+if HAVE_INTROSPECTION
+check-local-libnm-glib-nm-client: libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client
+	( $(LOG_COMPILER) "$(builddir)/libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client"; r="$$?"; test "$$r" = 0 -o "$$r" = 77 ) || \
+	( $(LOG_COMPILER) "$(builddir)/libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client"; r="$$?"; test "$$r" = 0 -o "$$r" = 77 ) || \
+	( $(LOG_COMPILER) "$(builddir)/libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client"; r="$$?"; test "$$r" = 0 -o "$$r" = 77 ) || \
+	( $(LOG_COMPILER) "$(builddir)/libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client"; r="$$?"; test "$$r" = 0 -o "$$r" = 77 ) || \
+	( $(LOG_COMPILER) "$(builddir)/libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client"; r="$$?"; test "$$r" = 0 -o "$$r" = 77 ) || \
+	false
+
+check_local += check-local-libnm-glib-nm-client
+endif
+check_programs_norun += libnm-glib/tests/test-nm-client
 
 if HAVE_INTROSPECTION
-check_programs += $(libnm_glib_tests_programs_req_introspection)
+check_programs += libnm-glib/tests/test-remote-settings-client
 else
-check_programs_norun += $(libnm_glib_tests_programs_req_introspection)
+check_programs_norun += libnm-glib/tests/test-remote-settings-client
 endif
 
 libnm_glib_tests_test_nm_client_CPPFLAGS = $(libnm_glib_tests_cppflags)