diff --git a/tests/run-test.sh b/tests/run-test.sh
index 77e5597..dced5b6 100755
--- a/tests/run-test.sh
+++ b/tests/run-test.sh
@@ -1,15 +1,31 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 set -eux
 
+. /etc/os-release
+
+if ls $(pwd)/cockpit-appstream* 1> /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    test_optional=1
+else
+    test_basic=1
+fi
+
+if [ "$ID" = "fedora" ]; then
+    test_basic=1
+    test_optional=1
+fi
+
 # tests need cockpit's bots/ libraries
 cd "$SOURCE"
 git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/cockpit-project/bots
-# pre-download cirros image for Machines tests
-bots/image-download cirros
+
+if [ -n "$test_optional" ]; then
+    # pre-download cirros image for Machines tests
+    bots/image-download cirros
+fi
+
 # only install a subset to save time/space
 npm install axe-core chrome-remote-interface sizzle
 
-. /etc/os-release
 export TEST_OS="${ID}-${VERSION_ID/./-}"
 # HACK: upstream does not yet know about fedora rawhide
 if [ "$TEST_OS" = "fedora-33" ]; then
@@ -18,32 +34,40 @@ fi
 
 RC=0
 
-# some tests are still too unstable: testCreate,testNetworkSettings,testVmNICs
-# testAddDisk triggers SELinux violation
-test/verify/check-machines -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 \
-    TestMachines.test{Basic,VCPU,MultipleSettings,BootOrder,Libvirt} \
-    TestMachines.testDetachDisk \
-    TestMachines.test{InlineConsole,ExternalConsole,SerialConsole} \
-    TestMachines.test{StoragePools,StoragePoolsCreate,NICAdd} || RC=$?
+if [ -n "$test_optional" ]; then
+    # some tests are still too unstable: testCreate,testNetworkSettings,testVmNICs
+    # testAddDisk triggers SELinux violation
+    test/verify/check-machines -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 \
+        TestMachines.test{Basic,VCPU,MultipleSettings,BootOrder,Libvirt} \
+        TestMachines.testDetachDisk \
+        TestMachines.test{InlineConsole,ExternalConsole,SerialConsole} \
+        TestMachines.test{StoragePools,StoragePoolsCreate,NICAdd} || RC=$?
 
-# TestFirewall.testNetworkingPage is still too unstable
-test/verify/check-networking-firewall -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 \
-    TestFirewall.test{AddCustomServices,AddServices,FirewallPage,MultipleZones} || RC=$?
+    # not all classes are nondestructive, and we can't run rebooting tests
+    test/verify/check-packagekit -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 TestUpdates.test{Basic,SecurityOnly} TestAutoUpdates || RC=$?
 
-# not all classes are nondestructive, and we can't run rebooting tests
-test/verify/check-packagekit -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 TestUpdates.test{Basic,SecurityOnly} TestAutoUpdates || RC=$?
+    for t in storage-basic \
+             storage-ignored \
+             storage-partitions \
+             storage-used storage-lvm2; do
+        test/verify/check-$t -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 || RC=$?
+    done
+fi
 
-# check-menu is not @nondestructive yet, keep it last
-for t in accounts \
-         login \
-         networking-basic \
-         sosreport storage-basic \
-         storage-ignored \
-         storage-partitions \
-         storage-used storage-lvm2 \
-         menu; do
-    test/verify/check-$t -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 || RC=$?
-done
+if [ -n "$test_basic" ]; then
+    # TestFirewall.testNetworkingPage is still too unstable
+    test/verify/check-networking-firewall -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 \
+        TestFirewall.test{AddCustomServices,AddServices,FirewallPage,MultipleZones} || RC=$?
+
+    # check-menu is not @nondestructive yet, keep it last
+    for t in accounts \
+             login \
+             networking-basic \
+             sosreport \
+             menu; do
+        test/verify/check-$t -tv --machine localhost:22 --browser localhost:9090 || RC=$?
+    done
+fi
 
 echo $RC > "$LOGS/exitcode"
 cp --verbose Test* "$LOGS" || true
diff --git a/tests/verify.sh b/tests/verify.sh
index d4e1fa1..5955e30 100755
--- a/tests/verify.sh
+++ b/tests/verify.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ chmod a+w "$LOGS"
 
 # install browser; on RHEL, use chromium from epel
 if ! rpm -q chromium-headless; then
-    if grep -q 'ID=rhel' /etc/os-release; then
+    if grep -q 'ID=.*rhel' /etc/os-release; then
         dnf install -y https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm
         dnf config-manager --enable epel
     fi