diff --git a/skopeo.spec b/skopeo.spec
index d1113bf..159ea7a 100644
--- a/skopeo.spec
+++ b/skopeo.spec
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ go build -buildmode pie -compiler gc -tags="rpm_crashtraceback libtrust_openssl
 Epoch: 2
 Name: skopeo
 Version: 1.6.1
-Release: 1%{?dist}
+Release: 2%{?dist}
 Summary: Inspect container images and repositories on registries
 License: ASL 2.0
 URL: https://%{import_path}
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ export GOPATH=%{buildroot}/%{gopath}:$(pwd)/vendor:%{gopath}
 %{_datadir}/%{name}/test
 
 %changelog
+* Mon Mar 14 2022 Jindrich Novy <jnovy@redhat.com> - 2:1.6.1-2
+- be sure to install BATS before gating tests are executed
+  (thanks to Ed Santiago)
+- Related: #2061316
+
 * Thu Feb 17 2022 Jindrich Novy <jnovy@redhat.com> - 2:1.6.1-1
 - update to https://github.com/containers/skopeo/releases/tag/v1.6.1
 - Related: #2000051
diff --git a/tests/roles/bats_installed/tasks/main.yml b/tests/roles/bats_installed/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00010b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roles/bats_installed/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+# Sigh; RHEL8 doesn't have BATS
+- name: bats | fetch and unpack tarball
+  unarchive:
+    src: https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core/archive/v1.5.0.tar.gz
+    dest: /root
+    remote_src: true
+
+- name: bats | install
+  command: ./install.sh /usr/local
+  args:
+    chdir: /root/bats-core-1.5.0
diff --git a/tests/test_skopeo.yml b/tests/test_skopeo.yml
index 0c73d85..33579dd 100644
--- a/tests/test_skopeo.yml
+++ b/tests/test_skopeo.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ---
 - hosts: localhost
   roles:
+    - role: bats_installed
     - role: standard-test-basic
       tags:
         - classic