diff --git a/src/test/test-capability.c b/src/test/test-capability.c
index 51bd806348..127f5e3d87 100644
--- a/src/test/test-capability.c
+++ b/src/test/test-capability.c
@@ -254,6 +254,13 @@ static void test_capability_get_ambient(void) {
 
         ASSERT_OK(capability_get_ambient(&c));
 
+        r = prctl(PR_CAPBSET_READ, CAP_MKNOD);
+        if (r <= 0)
+                return (void) log_tests_skipped("Lacking CAP_MKNOD, skipping getambient test.");
+        r = prctl(PR_CAPBSET_READ, CAP_LINUX_IMMUTABLE);
+        if (r <= 0)
+                return (void) log_tests_skipped("Lacking CAP_LINUX_IMMUTABLE, skipping getambient test.");
+
         r = safe_fork("(getambient)", FORK_RESET_SIGNALS|FORK_DEATHSIG_SIGTERM|FORK_WAIT|FORK_LOG, NULL);
         ASSERT_OK(r);