diff --git a/test/TEST-01-BASIC/test.sh b/test/TEST-01-BASIC/test.sh
index 9f2ec1e8ae5..58f6cd14142 100755
--- a/test/TEST-01-BASIC/test.sh
+++ b/test/TEST-01-BASIC/test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ set -e
 TEST_DESCRIPTION="Basic systemd setup"
 IMAGE_NAME="basic"
 RUN_IN_UNPRIVILEGED_CONTAINER=${RUN_IN_UNPRIVILEGED_CONTAINER:-yes}
+TEST_REQUIRE_INSTALL_TESTS=0
 
 . $TEST_BASE_DIR/test-functions
 
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@ test_create_image() {
     (
         LOG_LEVEL=5
         setup_basic_environment
+
+        # install tests manually so the test is functional even when -Dinstall-tests=false
+        mkdir -p $initdir/usr/lib/systemd/tests/testdata/units/
+        cp -v $(dirname $0)/../units/{testsuite-01,end}.service $initdir/usr/lib/systemd/tests/testdata/units/
     )
     setup_nspawn_root
 }
diff --git a/test/test-functions b/test/test-functions
index bca0588af82..7ae7d74fa8c 100644
--- a/test/test-functions
+++ b/test/test-functions
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ UNIFIED_CGROUP_HIERARCHY="${UNIFIED_CGROUP_HIERARCHY:-default}"
 EFI_MOUNT="${EFI_MOUNT:-$(bootctl -x 2>/dev/null || echo /boot)}"
 QEMU_MEM="${QEMU_MEM:-512M}"
 IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-default}
+TEST_REQUIRE_INSTALL_TESTS="${TEST_REQUIRE_INSTALL_TESTS:-1}"
 
 # Decide if we can (and want to) run QEMU with KVM acceleration.
 # Check if nested KVM is explicitly enabled (TEST_NESTED_KVM). If not,
@@ -1933,7 +1934,9 @@ test_create_image() {
 }
 
 test_setup() {
-    if type -P meson >/dev/null && [[ "$(meson configure $BUILD_DIR | grep install-tests | awk '{ print $2 }')" != "true" ]]; then
+    if [ ${TEST_REQUIRE_INSTALL_TESTS} -ne 0 ] && \
+            type -P meson >/dev/null && \
+            [[ "$(meson configure $BUILD_DIR | grep install-tests | awk '{ print $2 }')" != "true" ]]; then
         dfatal "Needs to be built with -Dinstall-tests=true"
         exit 1
     fi