diff --git a/subversion.spec b/subversion.spec
index 21fee29..1277a1e 100644
--- a/subversion.spec
+++ b/subversion.spec
@@ -4,13 +4,12 @@
 %bcond_without python2
 %bcond_with python3
 %bcond_without bdb
+%bcond_without tests
 
 %ifarch %{power64} s390x
 %global with_java 0
-%global make_check 0
 %else
 %global with_java 1
-%global make_check 1
 %endif
 
 %if %{with python2} == %{with python3}
@@ -391,7 +390,7 @@ done | tee tools.files | sed 's/^/%%exclude /' > exclude.tools.files
 
 cat %{name}.lang exclude.tools.files >> %{name}.files
 
-%if %{make_check}
+%if %{with test}
 %check
 export LANG=C LC_ALL=C
 export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_libdir}
@@ -522,7 +521,7 @@ make check-javahl
 
 %changelog
 * Tue Apr 24 2018 Joe Orton <jorton@redhat.com> - 1.10.0-3
-- add bdb build conditional
+- add bdb, tests as build conditional
 
 * Tue Apr 17 2018 Joe Orton <jorton@redhat.com> - 1.10.0-2
 - move new tools to -tools