diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 8ebf1c0e2e..f09afa20fd 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ else
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libcrun.la
 endif
 
+if BUILD_TESTS
 check_LTLIBRARIES = libcrun_testing.la
+endif
 
 libcrun_SOURCES = src/libcrun/utils.c \
 		src/libcrun/string_map.c \
@@ -87,9 +89,11 @@ libcrun_la_LIBADD = libocispec/libocispec.la $(FOUND_LIBS) $(maybe_libyajl.la)
 libcrun_la_LDFLAGS = -Wl,--version-script=$(abs_top_srcdir)/libcrun.lds
 
 # build a version with all the symbols visible for testing
+if BUILD_TESTS
 libcrun_testing_la_SOURCES = $(libcrun_SOURCES)
 libcrun_testing_la_CFLAGS = -I $(abs_top_builddir)/libocispec/src -I $(abs_top_srcdir)/libocispec/src -fvisibility=default
 libcrun_testing_la_LIBADD = libocispec/libocispec.la $(maybe_libyajl.la)
+endif
 
 if PYTHON_BINDINGS
 pyexec_LTLIBRARIES = python_crun.la
@@ -163,7 +167,9 @@ EXTRA_DIST = COPYING COPYING.libcrun README.md NEWS SECURITY.md rpm/crun.spec au
 	krun.1.md krun.1 \
 	lua/luacrun.rockspec
 
+if BUILD_TESTS
 UNIT_TESTS = tests/tests_libcrun_utils tests/tests_libcrun_ring_buffer tests/tests_libcrun_errors tests/tests_libcrun_intelrdt
+endif
 
 if ENABLE_CRUN
 bin_PROGRAMS = crun
@@ -172,6 +178,7 @@ else
 noinst_PROGRAMS = crun
 endif
 
+if BUILD_TESTS
 check_PROGRAMS = tests/init $(UNIT_TESTS) tests/tests_libcrun_fuzzer
 
 TESTS_LDADD = libcrun_testing.la $(FOUND_LIBS) $(maybe_libyajl.la)
@@ -205,6 +212,7 @@ tests_tests_libcrun_errors_SOURCES = tests/tests_libcrun_errors.c
 tests_tests_libcrun_errors_LDADD = $(TESTS_LDADD)
 tests_tests_libcrun_errors_LDFLAGS = $(crun_LDFLAGS)
 
+endif
 TEST_EXTENSIONS = .py
 PY_LOG_COMPILER = $(PYTHON)
 PY_LOG_DRIVER = env AM_TAP_AWK='$(AWK)' $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/tap-driver.sh
@@ -236,7 +244,9 @@ PYTHON_TESTS = tests/test_capabilities.py \
 	tests/test_time.py \
 	tests/test_bpf_devices.py
 
+if BUILD_TESTS
 TESTS = $(PYTHON_TESTS) $(UNIT_TESTS)
+endif
 
 .version:
 	$(AM_V_GEN)echo $(VERSION) > $@-t && mv $@-t $@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cbd3dc4ae0..5f39279d35 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ AC_CHECK_TYPES([atomic_int], [], [], [[#include <stdatomic.h>]])
 
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(eaccess hsearch_r copy_file_range fgetxattr statx fgetpwent_r issetugid memfd_create)
 
+case "${lt_cv_prog_compiler_static_works}" in
+	yes) build_tests=true ;;
+	no)
+		AC_MSG_WARN([Static compilation not working. Test suite cannot be built / executed. Make sure to install glibc-static or equivalent.])
+		build_tests=false
+		;;
+	*) ;;
+esac
+AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_TESTS], [test "x${build_tests}" = xtrue])
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(crun,
 AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-crun], [Include crun executable in installation (default: yes)]),
 [
diff --git a/rpm/crun.spec b/rpm/crun.spec
index dcf0edc453..7881bb8954 100644
--- a/rpm/crun.spec
+++ b/rpm/crun.spec
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ Recommends: criu-libs
 BuildRequires: wasmedge-devel
 %endif
 BuildRequires: python
+BuildRequires: glibc-static
 Provides: oci-runtime
 
 %description
diff --git a/tests/centos10-build/Dockerfile b/tests/centos10-build/Dockerfile
index c607881b1d..e4d1ceeb9c 100644
--- a/tests/centos10-build/Dockerfile
+++ b/tests/centos10-build/Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ FROM quay.io/centos/centos:stream10-development
 
 RUN yum  --enablerepo='appstream'  --enablerepo='baseos' --enablerepo='crb' install -y make \
     automake autoconf gettext criu-devel libtool gcc libcap-devel systemd-devel \
-    libseccomp-devel python3 libtool git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel xz
+    libseccomp-devel python3 libtool git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel xz glibc-static
 
 COPY run-tests.sh /usr/local/bin
 
diff --git a/tests/centos8-build/Dockerfile b/tests/centos8-build/Dockerfile
index b446dd452a..4b810e3fd2 100644
--- a/tests/centos8-build/Dockerfile
+++ b/tests/centos8-build/Dockerfile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ FROM quay.io/centos/centos:stream8
 RUN sed -i 's|#baseurl=http://mirror.centos.org|baseurl=http://vault.centos.org|g' /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-* && \
     yum --enablerepo='powertools' install -y make automake autoconf gettext \
     criu-devel libtool gcc libcap-devel systemd-devel yajl-devel \
-    libseccomp-devel python36 libtool git
+    libseccomp-devel python36 libtool git glibc-static
 
 COPY run-tests.sh /usr/local/bin
 
diff --git a/tests/centos9-build/Dockerfile b/tests/centos9-build/Dockerfile
index e052d03a97..da3b22e3fd 100644
--- a/tests/centos9-build/Dockerfile
+++ b/tests/centos9-build/Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ FROM quay.io/centos/centos:stream9
 
 RUN yum  --enablerepo='appstream'  --enablerepo='baseos' --enablerepo='crb' install -y make \
     automake autoconf gettext criu-devel libtool gcc libcap-devel systemd-devel yajl-devel \
-    libseccomp-devel python3 libtool git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel
+    libseccomp-devel python3 libtool git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel glibc-static
 
 COPY run-tests.sh /usr/local/bin
 
diff --git a/tests/clang-check/Dockerfile b/tests/clang-check/Dockerfile
index 5be6f7c662..5c0bfaa32a 100644
--- a/tests/clang-check/Dockerfile
+++ b/tests/clang-check/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FROM fedora:latest
 
-RUN dnf install -y awk git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel make clang-tools-extra clang python3-pip 'dnf-command(builddep)' && \
+RUN dnf install -y awk git protobuf-c protobuf-c-devel make clang-tools-extra clang python3-pip glibc-static 'dnf-command(builddep)' && \
         dnf builddep -y crun && pip install scan-build
 
 COPY run-tests.sh /usr/local/bin
diff --git a/tests/clang-format/Dockerfile b/tests/clang-format/Dockerfile
index 7ffbd3fe00..5829ef9606 100644
--- a/tests/clang-format/Dockerfile
+++ b/tests/clang-format/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FROM fedora:latest
 
-RUN dnf install -y awk git make clang-tools-extra 'dnf-command(builddep)' && dnf builddep -y crun
+RUN dnf install -y awk git make clang-tools-extra glibc-static 'dnf-command(builddep)' && dnf builddep -y crun
 
 COPY run-tests.sh /usr/local/bin
 ENTRYPOINT /usr/local/bin/run-tests.sh