diff --git a/tests/regression/apparmor/Makefile b/tests/regression/apparmor/Makefile
index 338a4445d..a70e6ec88 100644
--- a/tests/regression/apparmor/Makefile
+++ b/tests/regression/apparmor/Makefile
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ endif # USE_SYSTEM
 
 CFLAGS += -g -O0 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes
 
+USE_SYSCTL:=$(shell echo "#include <sys/sysctl.h>" | cpp -dM >/dev/null 2>/dev/null && echo true)
+
+
 SRC=access.c \
     introspect.c \
     changeprofile.c \
@@ -109,7 +112,6 @@ SRC=access.c \
     syscall_sethostname.c \
     syscall_setdomainname.c \
     syscall_setscheduler.c \
-    syscall_sysctl.c \
     sysctl_proc.c \
     tcp.c \
     unix_fd_client.c \
@@ -124,6 +126,12 @@ ifneq (,$(findstring $(shell uname -i),i386 i486 i586 i686 x86 x86_64))
 SRC+=syscall_ioperm.c syscall_iopl.c
 endif
 
+#only do sysctl syscall test if defines installed and OR supported by the
+# kernel
+ifeq ($(USE_SYSCTL),true)
+SRC+=syscall_sysctl.c
+endif
+
 #only do dbus if proper libs are installl
 ifneq (,$(shell pkg-config --exists dbus-1 && echo TRUE))
 SRC+=dbus_eavesdrop.c dbus_message.c dbus_service.c dbus_unrequested_reply.c
diff --git a/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.sh b/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.sh
index f93946f33..5f8569847 100644
--- a/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.sh
+++ b/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.sh
@@ -148,11 +148,18 @@ test_sysctl_proc()
 # check if the kernel supports CONFIG_SYSCTL_SYSCALL
 # generally we want to encourage kernels to disable it, but if it's
 # enabled we want to test against it
-settest syscall_sysctl
-if ! res="$(${test} ro 2>&1)" && [ "$res" = "FAIL: sysctl read failed - Function not implemented" ] ; then
-    echo "	WARNING: syscall sysctl not implemented, skipping tests ..."
+# In addition test that sysctl exists in the kernel headers, if it does't
+# then we can't even built the syscall_sysctl test
+if  echo "#include <sys/sysctl.h>" | cpp -dM >/dev/null 2>/dev/null ; then
+    settest syscall_sysctl
+
+    if ! res="$(${test} ro 2>&1)" && [ "$res" = "FAIL: sysctl read failed - Function not implemented" ] ; then
+	echo "	WARNING: syscall sysctl not implemented, skipping tests ..."
+    else
+	test_syscall_sysctl
+    fi
 else
-    test_syscall_sysctl
+    echo "	WARNING: syscall sysctl not supported by kernel headers, skipping tests ..."
 fi
 
 # now test /proc/sys/ paths