diff --git a/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/Makefile.am b/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/Makefile.am
index a86c2b467a..bef3b60c82 100644
--- a/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ if ENABLE_PYTHON_COVERAGE
 	touch $(abs_top_srcdir)/.coverage
 	rm -f .coverage
 	${LN_S} $(abs_top_srcdir)/.coverage .coverage
+endif
+if USE_SHARED_MEMORY
+HAVE_SHARED_MEMORY=yes
+else
+HAVE_SHARED_MEMORY=no
 endif
 	for pytest in $(PYTESTS) ; do \
 	echo Running test: $$pytest ; \
@@ -41,6 +46,7 @@ endif
 	PYTHONPATH=:$(COMMON_PYTHON_PATH):$(abs_top_builddir)/src/lib/python/isc/log:$(abs_top_builddir)/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/.libs:$(abs_top_builddir)/src/lib/dns/python/.libs \
 	TESTDATA_PATH=$(abs_srcdir)/testdata \
 	TESTDATA_WRITE_PATH=$(abs_builddir) \
+	HAVE_SHARED_MEMORY=$(HAVE_SHARED_MEMORY) \
 	GLOBAL_TESTDATA_PATH=$(abs_top_srcdir)/src/lib/testutils/testdata \
 	B10_FROM_BUILD=$(abs_top_builddir) \
 	$(PYCOVERAGE_RUN) $(abs_srcdir)/$$pytest || exit ; \
diff --git a/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/clientlist_test.py b/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/clientlist_test.py
index a88e19c666..51d74b7af9 100644
--- a/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/clientlist_test.py
+++ b/src/lib/python/isc/datasrc/tests/clientlist_test.py
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ class ClientListTest(unittest.TestCase):
         """
         Test find on a mapped segment.
         """
+        if os.environ['HAVE_SHARED_MEMORY'] != 'yes':
+            return
+
         self.clist = isc.datasrc.ConfigurableClientList(isc.dns.RRClass.IN)
         self.clist.configure('''[{
             "type": "MasterFiles",