diff --git a/tests/sys/acl/00.sh b/tests/sys/acl/00.sh
index 42b06cb8c484..5853aac2cac8 100644
--- a/tests/sys/acl/00.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/acl/00.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "1..0 # SKIP you must be root"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if [ ! -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+	echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+	exit 0
+fi
 
 echo "1..4"
 
diff --git a/tests/sys/acl/01.sh b/tests/sys/acl/01.sh
index 3521ef37e663..044d1b81ab68 100644
--- a/tests/sys/acl/01.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/acl/01.sh
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "1..0 # SKIP you must be root"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if [ ! -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+	echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+	exit 0
+fi
 
 echo "1..4"
 
diff --git a/tests/sys/acl/02.sh b/tests/sys/acl/02.sh
index 069995d9906f..98fe1345b069 100644
--- a/tests/sys/acl/02.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/acl/02.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "1..0 # SKIP you must be root"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if [ ! -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+	echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+	exit 0
+fi
 
 echo "1..4"
 
diff --git a/tests/sys/acl/03.sh b/tests/sys/acl/03.sh
index 2de58e31ba3a..4c85638ca8db 100644
--- a/tests/sys/acl/03.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/acl/03.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "1..0 # SKIP you must be root"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if [ ! -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+	echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+	exit 0
+fi
 
 echo "1..5"
 
diff --git a/tests/sys/acl/04.sh b/tests/sys/acl/04.sh
index 33ce5ab9bc17..cfe4b1cb08a8 100644
--- a/tests/sys/acl/04.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/acl/04.sh
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "1..0 # SKIP you must be root"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if [ ! -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+	echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+	exit 0
+fi
 
 echo "1..3"
 
diff --git a/tests/sys/cddl/zfs/tests/cache/cache_test.sh b/tests/sys/cddl/zfs/tests/cache/cache_test.sh
index 4d77d9fa56a7..79b09dd93183 100755
--- a/tests/sys/cddl/zfs/tests/cache/cache_test.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/cddl/zfs/tests/cache/cache_test.sh
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ cache_010_neg_body()
 	. $(atf_get_srcdir)/cache.kshlib
 	. $(atf_get_srcdir)/cache.cfg
 
+	[ -c /dev/mdctl ] || atf_skip "no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
 	verify_disk_count "$DISKS" 1
 	ksh93 $(atf_get_srcdir)/setup.ksh || atf_fail "Setup failed"
 	ksh93 $(atf_get_srcdir)/cache_010_neg.ksh || atf_fail "Testcase failed"
diff --git a/tests/sys/geom/class/eli/conf.sh b/tests/sys/geom/class/eli/conf.sh
index fe7c9c2528ea..a21e645f1637 100644
--- a/tests/sys/geom/class/eli/conf.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/geom/class/eli/conf.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ attach_md()
 {
 	local test_md
 
+	[ -c /dev/mdctl ] || atf_skip "no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
 	test_md=$(mdconfig -a "$@") || atf_fail "failed to allocate md(4)"
 	echo $test_md >> $TEST_MDS_FILE || exit
 	echo $test_md
diff --git a/tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh b/tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
index 7e572ccd5175..f8eca4c6b220 100644
--- a/tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ attach_md()
 {
 	local test_md
 
+	[ -c /dev/mdctl ] || atf_skip "no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
 	test_md=$(mdconfig -a "$@") || exit
 	echo $test_md >> $TEST_MDS_FILE || exit
 	echo $test_md
diff --git a/tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/8_test.sh b/tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/8_test.sh
index 21f6b83c85f7..5b3e5c3543a1 100644
--- a/tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/8_test.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/8_test.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 
 . `dirname $0`/conf.sh
 
+if ! [ -c /dev/mdctl ]; then
+    echo "1..0 # SKIP no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
 echo 1..1
 
 ddbs=2048
diff --git a/tests/sys/kern/sendfile_test.sh b/tests/sys/kern/sendfile_test.sh
index 03d2c882241c..2e9779d6779c 100755
--- a/tests/sys/kern/sendfile_test.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/kern/sendfile_test.sh
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ alloc_md()
 {
 	local md
 
+	[ -c /dev/mdctl ] || atf_skip "no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
 	md=$(mdconfig -a -t swap -s 256M) || atf_fail "mdconfig -a failed"
 	echo ${md} >> $MD_DEVS
 	echo ${md}
diff --git a/tests/sys/mac/bsdextended/matches_test.sh b/tests/sys/mac/bsdextended/matches_test.sh
index 40774594fd18..2a28be0f231b 100644
--- a/tests/sys/mac/bsdextended/matches_test.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/mac/bsdextended/matches_test.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ setup()
 {
 	check_ko
 	mkdir mnt
+	[ -c /dev/mdctl ] || atf_skip "no /dev/mdctl to create md devices"
 	mdmfs -s 25m md mnt \
 		|| atf_fail "failed to mount md device"
 	chmod a+rwx mnt