diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8978c7f46..aee611641 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@
 	current memory when allocating large chunks. This significantly
 	decreases memory fragmentation.
 
+2013-11-18  Colin Watson  <cjwatson@ubuntu.com>
+
+	* tests/gzcompress_test.in: Skip if gzip is not installed (unlikely,
+	but for symmetry).
+	* tests/lzocompress_test.in: Skip if lzop is not installed.
+	* tests/xzcompress_test.in: Skip if xz is not installed.
+
 2013-11-18  Colin Watson  <cjwatson@ubuntu.com>
 
 	* util/grub-mkrescue.c (main): Fix typo.
diff --git a/tests/gzcompress_test.in b/tests/gzcompress_test.in
index 5cc352eef..11b6bb208 100644
--- a/tests/gzcompress_test.in
+++ b/tests/gzcompress_test.in
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ grubshell=@builddir@/grub-shell
 
 . "@builddir@/grub-core/modinfo.sh"
 
+if ! which gzip >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+   echo "gzip not installed; cannot test gzip compression."
+   exit 77
+fi
+
 if [ "$(echo hello | "${grubshell}" --mkrescue-arg=--compress=gz)" != "Hello World" ]; then
    exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/tests/lzocompress_test.in b/tests/lzocompress_test.in
index 54428c33b..41984c254 100644
--- a/tests/lzocompress_test.in
+++ b/tests/lzocompress_test.in
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ grubshell=@builddir@/grub-shell
 
 . "@builddir@/grub-core/modinfo.sh"
 
+if ! which lzop >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+   echo "lzop not installed; cannot test lzo compression."
+   exit 77
+fi
+
 if [ "$(echo hello | "${grubshell}" --mkrescue-arg=--compress=lzo)" != "Hello World" ]; then
    exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/tests/xzcompress_test.in b/tests/xzcompress_test.in
index 63f5fd190..b2bd999ec 100644
--- a/tests/xzcompress_test.in
+++ b/tests/xzcompress_test.in
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ grubshell=@builddir@/grub-shell
 
 . "@builddir@/grub-core/modinfo.sh"
 
+if ! which xz >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+   echo "xz not installed; cannot test xz compression."
+   exit 77
+fi
+
 if [ "$(echo hello | "${grubshell}" --mkrescue-arg=--compress=xz)" != "Hello World" ]; then
    exit 1
 fi