diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index b87f722d..9001d948 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ matrix:
         - libsodium-dev
         - asciidoc
         - xmlto
-  - env: BUILD_TYPE=default CURVE=libsodium DRAFT=enabled GSSAPI=enabled PGM=enabled NORM=enabled
+  - env: BUILD_TYPE=default CURVE=libsodium DRAFT=enabled GSSAPI=enabled PGM=enabled NORM=enabled TIPC=enabled
     os: linux
+    sudo: required
     addons:
       apt:
         sources:
diff --git a/builds/cmake/Modules/ZMQSourceRunChecks.cmake b/builds/cmake/Modules/ZMQSourceRunChecks.cmake
index 8d6ab87d..46010fce 100644
--- a/builds/cmake/Modules/ZMQSourceRunChecks.cmake
+++ b/builds/cmake/Modules/ZMQSourceRunChecks.cmake
@@ -195,19 +195,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv [])
 {
     struct sockaddr_tipc topsrv;
     int sd = socket(AF_TIPC, SOCK_SEQPACKET, 0);
-    if (sd == -EAFNOSUPPORT) {
-        return 1;
-    }
     memset(&topsrv, 0, sizeof(topsrv));
     topsrv.family = AF_TIPC;
     topsrv.addrtype = TIPC_ADDR_NAME;
     topsrv.addr.name.name.type = TIPC_TOP_SRV;
     topsrv.addr.name.name.instance = TIPC_TOP_SRV;
     fcntl(sd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
-    if (connect(sd, (struct sockaddr *)&topsrv, sizeof(topsrv)) != 0) {
-        if (errno != EINPROGRESS)
-            return -1;
-    }
 }
 "
     ZMQ_HAVE_TIPC)
diff --git a/ci_build.sh b/ci_build.sh
index 7a8a39f0..dd8060e1 100755
--- a/ci_build.sh
+++ b/ci_build.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ if [ $BUILD_TYPE == "default" ]; then
         CONFIG_OPTS+=("--with-norm=yes")
     fi
 
+    if [ -n "$TIPC" ] && [ "$TIPC" == "enabled" ]; then
+        sudo modprobe tipc
+    fi
+
     if [ -n "$POLLER" ]; then
         CONFIG_OPTS+=("--with-poller=${POLLER}")
     fi
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f397d131..fbce6ea3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -93,19 +93,12 @@ AC_RUN_IFELSE(
         ]],[[
             struct sockaddr_tipc topsrv;
             int sd = socket(AF_TIPC, SOCK_SEQPACKET, 0);
-            if (sd == -EAFNOSUPPORT) {
-                return 1;
-            }
             memset(&topsrv, 0, sizeof(topsrv));
             topsrv.family = AF_TIPC;
             topsrv.addrtype = TIPC_ADDR_NAME;
             topsrv.addr.name.name.type = TIPC_TOP_SRV;
             topsrv.addr.name.name.instance = TIPC_TOP_SRV;
             fcntl(sd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
-            if (connect(sd, (struct sockaddr *)&topsrv, sizeof(topsrv)) != 0) {
-                if (errno != EINPROGRESS)
-                    return -1;
-            }
         ]])
     ],
     [libzmq_tipc_support=yes],
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 56d8d9f3..930b29b1 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ foreach(test ${tests})
     add_test(NAME ${test} COMMAND ${test})
   endif()
   set_tests_properties(${test} PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 10)
+  set_tests_properties(${test} PROPERTIES SKIP_RETURN_CODE 77)
 endforeach()
 
 #override timeout for these tests
diff --git a/tests/test_address_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_address_tipc.cpp
index 966a29a9..55aa0d93 100644
--- a/tests/test_address_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_address_tipc.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ int main ()
 {
     setup_test_environment ();
 
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     UNITY_BEGIN ();
     RUN_TEST (test_tipc_port_name_and_domain);
     RUN_TEST (test_tipc_port_identity);
diff --git a/tests/test_connect_delay_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_connect_delay_tipc.cpp
index 03df8ee1..d800d480 100644
--- a/tests/test_connect_delay_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_connect_delay_tipc.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     int val;
     int rc;
     char buffer[16];
diff --git a/tests/test_pair_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_pair_tipc.cpp
index 9c373171..a694706a 100644
--- a/tests/test_pair_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_pair_tipc.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     fprintf (stderr, "test_pair_tipc running...\n");
 
     void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
diff --git a/tests/test_reqrep_device_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_reqrep_device_tipc.cpp
index 29123159..dd527778 100644
--- a/tests/test_reqrep_device_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_reqrep_device_tipc.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     fprintf (stderr, "test_reqrep_device_tipc running...\n");
 
     void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
diff --git a/tests/test_reqrep_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_reqrep_tipc.cpp
index b4d5c981..4dc5c08f 100644
--- a/tests/test_reqrep_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_reqrep_tipc.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     fprintf (stderr, "test_reqrep_tipc running...\n");
 
     void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
diff --git a/tests/test_router_mandatory_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_router_mandatory_tipc.cpp
index b2634c06..dbb8b7cc 100644
--- a/tests/test_router_mandatory_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_router_mandatory_tipc.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     fprintf (stderr, "test_router_mandatory_tipc running...\n");
 
     void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
diff --git a/tests/test_shutdown_stress_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_shutdown_stress_tipc.cpp
index 68f78ca5..a2ba55b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_shutdown_stress_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_shutdown_stress_tipc.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ static void *worker (void *s)
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     void *ctx;
     void *s1;
     void *s2;
diff --git a/tests/test_sub_forward_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_sub_forward_tipc.cpp
index 173cb025..79cb6190 100644
--- a/tests/test_sub_forward_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_sub_forward_tipc.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     fprintf (stderr, "test_sub_forward running...\n");
 
     void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
diff --git a/tests/test_term_endpoint_tipc.cpp b/tests/test_term_endpoint_tipc.cpp
index 87d7b4a1..153f13ed 100644
--- a/tests/test_term_endpoint_tipc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_term_endpoint_tipc.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 
 int main (void)
 {
+    if (!is_tipc_available ()) {
+        printf ("TIPC environment unavailable, skipping test\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
     int rc;
     char buf[32];
     const char *ep = "tipc://{5560,0,0}";
diff --git a/tests/testutil.hpp b/tests/testutil.hpp
index 9ab92331..dad38433 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.hpp
+++ b/tests/testutil.hpp
@@ -389,6 +389,29 @@ int is_ipv6_available (void)
 #endif // _WIN32_WINNT < 0x0600
 }
 
+// check if tipc is available (0/false if not, 1/true if it is)
+// only way to reliably check is to actually open a socket and try to bind it
+// as it depends on a non-default kernel module to be already loaded
+int is_tipc_available (void)
+{
+#ifndef ZMQ_HAVE_TIPC
+    return 0;
+#else
+    int tipc = 0;
+
+    void *ctx = zmq_init (1);
+    assert (ctx);
+    void *rep = zmq_socket (ctx, ZMQ_REP);
+    assert (rep);
+    tipc = zmq_bind (rep, "tipc://{5560,0,0}");
+
+    zmq_close (rep);
+    zmq_ctx_term (ctx);
+
+    return tipc == 0;
+#endif // ZMQ_HAVE_TIPC
+}
+
 #if defined(ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS)
 
 int close (int fd)