diff --git a/gio/tests/trash.c b/gio/tests/trash.c
index 1055585e5..b7df9363a 100644
--- a/gio/tests/trash.c
+++ b/gio/tests/trash.c
@@ -107,8 +107,19 @@ test_trash_symlinks (void)
 
   g_test_bug ("1522");
 
-  /* The test assumes that ~/.local always exists. */
   target = g_build_filename (g_get_home_dir (), ".local", NULL);
+
+  if (!g_file_test (target, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
+    {
+      gchar *message;
+
+      message = g_strdup_printf ("Directory '%s' does not exist", target);
+      g_test_skip (message);
+      g_free (message);
+      g_free (target);
+      return;
+    }
+
   target_mount = g_unix_mount_for (target, NULL);
   g_assert_nonnull (target_mount);
   g_test_message ("Target: %s (mount: %s)", target, g_unix_mount_get_mount_path (target_mount));