diff --git a/tar.changes b/tar.changes
index 55a0e1c..68d2d90 100644
--- a/tar.changes
+++ b/tar.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Sun Oct 30 23:16:20 CET 2011 - dmueller@suse.de
+
+- disable testsuite on qemu build
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Wed Oct  5 11:38:57 UTC 2011 - sweet_f_a@gmx.de
 
diff --git a/tar.spec b/tar.spec
index 237ba0d..2e04cb7 100644
--- a/tar.spec
+++ b/tar.spec
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ export RSH="/usr/bin/rsh"
 make %{?_smp_mflags};
 
 %check
+%if !0%{?qemu_user_space_build:1}
+# Checks disabled in qemu because of races happening when we emulate
+# multi-threaded programs
 make check
+%endif
 
 %install
 %{?make_install} %{!?make_install:make install DESTDIR=%{buildroot}}