diff --git a/message/pipeline/pipeline_test.go b/message/pipeline/pipeline_test.go
index 455045554..1f5e44f5f 100644
--- a/message/pipeline/pipeline_test.go
+++ b/message/pipeline/pipeline_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ func TestFullCycle(t *testing.T) {
 	if runtime.GOOS == "android" {
 		t.Skip("cannot load outside packages on android")
 	}
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("go"); err != nil {
+		t.Skipf("skipping because 'go' command is unavailable: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	const path = "./testdata"
 	dirs, err := ioutil.ReadDir(path)
 	if err != nil {