diff --git a/test/Makefile.ssl b/test/Makefile.ssl
index 832f47b59b..6ca5f5f983 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.ssl
+++ b/test/Makefile.ssl
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ test_bn:
 	@./$(BNTEST) >tmp.bntest
 	@echo quit >>tmp.bntest
 	@echo "running bc"
-	@<tmp.bntest sh -c "`sh ./bctest; true`" | $(PERL) -e '$$i=0; while (<STDIN>) {if (/^test (.*)/) {print STDERR "\nverify $$1";} elsif (!/^0$$/) {die "\nFailed! bc: $$_";} else {print STDERR "."; $$i++;}} print STDERR "\n$$i tests passed\n"'
+	@<tmp.bntest sh -c "`sh ./bctest ignore`" | $(PERL) -e '$$i=0; while (<STDIN>) {if (/^test (.*)/) {print STDERR "\nverify $$1";} elsif (!/^0$$/) {die "\nFailed! bc: $$_";} else {print STDERR "."; $$i++;}} print STDERR "\n$$i tests passed\n"'
 	@echo 'test a^b%c implementations'
 	./$(EXPTEST)
 
diff --git a/test/bctest b/test/bctest
index fbe74ed90b..bdb3218f7a 100755
--- a/test/bctest
+++ b/test/bctest
@@ -104,5 +104,8 @@ EOF
 done
 
 echo "No working bc found.  Consider installing GNU bc." >&2
-echo "cat >/dev/null"
+if [ "$1" = ignore ]; then
+  echo "cat >/dev/null"
+  exit 0
+fi
 exit 1