diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/mkmany b/sys/src/cmd/mkmany
index 9ff43a849..61c0d1dff 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/mkmany
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/mkmany
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ clean:V:
 man:V:	$MANFILES
 
 test:VQ: $PROGS
-	if(test -d ./test)
+	if(test -f ./test/mkfile)
 		cd test && mk $MKFLAGS test
 	if not
 		status=()
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/mkone b/sys/src/cmd/mkone
index cb89fa55d..747060d93 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/mkone
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/mkone
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ $MAN/%:    %.man
 man:V:    $MAN/$TARG
 
 test:QV: $O.out $TESTDEP
-	if(test -d ./test){
+	if(test -f ./test/mkfile){
 		pwd
 		@{cd ./test && mk $MKFLAGS test}
 	}