--- a/tests/checkasm/checkasm.h
+++ b/tests/checkasm/checkasm.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ static inline uint64_t readtime(void) {
 #define readtime readtime
 #endif
 #elif ARCH_ARM && !defined(_MSC_VER)
+#if __ARM_ARCH > 6
 static inline uint64_t readtime(void) {
     uint32_t cycle_counter;
     /* This requires enabling user mode access to the cycle counter (which
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ static inline uint64_t readtime(void) {
 }
 #define readtime readtime
 #endif
+#endif
 
 /* Verifies that clobbered callee-saved registers
  * are properly saved and restored */