diff --git a/python-qrcode.spec b/python-qrcode.spec
index 0b628f5..952ebd0 100644
--- a/python-qrcode.spec
+++ b/python-qrcode.spec
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ BuildArch:      noarch
 
 BuildRequires:  python3-devel
 BuildRequires:  python3-setuptools
-BuildRequires:  python3-imaging
 BuildRequires:  python3-six
+%if ! 0%{?rhel}
+# RHEL only ships qrcode-core and does not have pillow
+BuildRequires:  python3-imaging
+%endif
 
 %global _description\
 This module uses the Python Imaging Library (PIL) to allow for the\
@@ -66,18 +69,12 @@ rm -r %{buildroot}%{python3_sitelib}/%{pkgname}/tests
 ln -s qr %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/qrcode
 
 %check
-# in lieue of a real test suite
-modules=$(find qrcode -name '*.py' \
-          | grep -v __init__ \
-          | sort \
-          | sed -e 's|/|.|g' \
-          | sed -e 's|.py$||g');
-
-
-for m in $modules;
-do
-    %{__python3} -c "import $m"
-done
+%if 0%{?rhel}
+# test method requires PIL
+sed -i s/test_render_pil/disabled_render_pil/g qrcode/tests/test_qrcode.py
+%endif
+PYTHONPATH=%{buildroot}%{python3_sitelib} \
+    %{__python3} -m unittest -v qrcode.tests.test_qrcode.QRCodeTests
 
 %files -n python3-%{pkgname}
 %{_bindir}/qr