diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py b/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
index e5288636c596e..18f7aebae7fe8 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
@@ -964,6 +964,21 @@ def _test():
     except py4j.protocol.Py4JError:
         spark = SparkSession(sc)
 
+    hive_enabled = True
+    try:
+        sc._jvm.org.apache.hadoop.hive.conf.HiveConf()
+    except py4j.protocol.Py4JError:
+        hive_enabled = False
+    except TypeError:
+        hive_enabled = False
+
+    if not hive_enabled:
+        # if hive is not enabled, then skip doctests that need hive
+        # TODO: Need to communicate with outside world that this test
+        # has been skipped.
+        m = pyspark.sql.readwriter
+        m.__dict__["DataFrameReader"].__dict__["table"].__doc__ = ""
+
     globs['tempfile'] = tempfile
     globs['os'] = os
     globs['sc'] = sc
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
index 967cc83166f3f..003bcd4827433 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
@@ -2977,6 +2977,20 @@ def test_create_dateframe_from_pandas_with_dst(self):
 
 class HiveSparkSubmitTests(SparkSubmitTests):
 
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        # get a SparkContext to check for availability of Hive
+        sc = SparkContext('local[4]', cls.__name__)
+        try:
+            sc._jvm.org.apache.hadoop.hive.conf.HiveConf()
+        except py4j.protocol.Py4JError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("Hive is not available")
+        except TypeError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("Hive is not available")
+        finally:
+            # we don't need SparkContext for the test
+            sc.stop()
+
     def test_hivecontext(self):
         # This test checks that HiveContext is using Hive metastore (SPARK-16224).
         # It sets a metastore url and checks if there is a derby dir created by
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/udf.py b/python/pyspark/sql/udf.py
index 24dd06c26089c..39eff97c5cd3a 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/udf.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/udf.py
@@ -385,8 +385,23 @@ def registerJavaUDAF(self, name, javaClassName):
 
 def _test():
     import doctest
+    import os
+    import os.path
+    import glob
     from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
     import pyspark.sql.udf
+
+    SPARK_HOME = os.environ["SPARK_HOME"]
+    filename_pattern = "sql/core/target/scala-*/test-classes/" + \
+                       "test/org/apache/spark/sql/JavaStringLength.class"
+    if not glob.glob(os.path.join(SPARK_HOME, filename_pattern)):
+        # if test udf files are not compiled, then skip the below doctests
+        # TODO: Need to communicate with outside world that these tests
+        # have been skipped.
+        m = pyspark.sql.udf
+        m.__dict__["UDFRegistration"].__dict__["registerJavaFunction"].__doc__ = ""
+        m.__dict__["UDFRegistration"].__dict__["registerJavaUDAF"].__doc__ = ""
+
     globs = pyspark.sql.udf.__dict__.copy()
     spark = SparkSession.builder\
         .master("local[4]")\