diff --git a/tests/old/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am b/tests/old/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
index 81986468f5..9a2bac9a7a 100644
--- a/tests/old/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/old/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-testprogs = cleanup1 cleanup2 cleanup3 cleanup4 cleanup5
+if BUILD_FAILING_TESTS
+FAILING = cleanup3 cleanup4
+else
+FAILING =
+endif
+
+testprogs = cleanup1 cleanup2 $(FAILING) cleanup5
 
 GST_PLUGIN_PATH = $(shell cd $(top_builddir) && pwd)
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = GST_PLUGIN_PATH=$(GST_PLUGIN_PATH) GST_REGISTRY=`pwd`/test-registry.xml
diff --git a/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am b/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
index 81986468f5..9a2bac9a7a 100644
--- a/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
+++ b/testsuite/cleanup/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-testprogs = cleanup1 cleanup2 cleanup3 cleanup4 cleanup5
+if BUILD_FAILING_TESTS
+FAILING = cleanup3 cleanup4
+else
+FAILING =
+endif
+
+testprogs = cleanup1 cleanup2 $(FAILING) cleanup5
 
 GST_PLUGIN_PATH = $(shell cd $(top_builddir) && pwd)
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = GST_PLUGIN_PATH=$(GST_PLUGIN_PATH) GST_REGISTRY=`pwd`/test-registry.xml