diff --git a/Tests/test_file_tar.py b/Tests/test_file_tar.py
index 0f87ea2c0..fa33d3802 100644
--- a/Tests/test_file_tar.py
+++ b/Tests/test_file_tar.py
@@ -2,21 +2,27 @@ from tester import *
 
 from PIL import Image, TarIO
 
+codecs = dir(Image.core)
+if "zip_decoder" not in codecs and "jpeg_decoder" not in codecs:
+    skip("neither jpeg nor zip support not available")
+
 # sample ppm stream
 tarfile = "Images/lena.tar"
 
 def test_sanity():
-    tar = TarIO.TarIO(tarfile, 'lena.png')
-    im = Image.open(tar)
-    im.load()
-    assert_equal(im.mode, "RGB")
-    assert_equal(im.size, (128, 128))
-    assert_equal(im.format, "PNG")
+    if "zip_decoder" in codecs:
+        tar = TarIO.TarIO(tarfile, 'lena.png')
+        im = Image.open(tar)
+        im.load()
+        assert_equal(im.mode, "RGB")
+        assert_equal(im.size, (128, 128))
+        assert_equal(im.format, "PNG")
 
-    tar = TarIO.TarIO(tarfile, 'lena.jpg')
-    im = Image.open(tar)
-    im.load()
-    assert_equal(im.mode, "RGB")
-    assert_equal(im.size, (128, 128))
-    assert_equal(im.format, "JPEG")
+    if "jpeg_decoder" in codecs:
+        tar = TarIO.TarIO(tarfile, 'lena.jpg')
+        im = Image.open(tar)
+        im.load()
+        assert_equal(im.mode, "RGB")
+        assert_equal(im.size, (128, 128))
+        assert_equal(im.format, "JPEG")