diff --git a/Makefile.rules b/Makefile.rules
index 0d3e145a46..2ebff88979 100644
--- a/Makefile.rules
+++ b/Makefile.rules
@@ -82,12 +82,14 @@ utils: $(build-utils) $(host-utils)
 test-targets=$(foreach t,$(test-list-y),test-$(t))
 .PHONY: $(test-targets)
 
+ifeq "$(CONFIG_COMMON_RUNTIME)" "y"
 $(test-targets): test-%:
 	@set -e ; \
 	echo "  BUILD   $(out)/$*" ; \
 	$(MAKE) --no-print-directory BOARD=$(BOARD) PROJECT=$* \
 	        V=$(V) out=$(out)/$* TEST_BUILD=y; \
 	cp $(out)/$*/$*.bin $(out)/test-$*.bin
+endif
 
 tests: $(test-targets)