diff --git a/tools/tests/x86_emulator/Makefile b/tools/tests/x86_emulator/Makefile
index a79f13f3833e..222c1b11e208 100644
--- a/tools/tests/x86_emulator/Makefile
+++ b/tools/tests/x86_emulator/Makefile
@@ -97,11 +97,13 @@ avx512dq-opmask-vecs := 1 2
 avx512bw-opmask-vecs := 4 8
 
 # Suppress building by default of the harness if the compiler can't deal
-# with any of the extensions used.  Don't alter the "run" target dependencies
+# with some of the extensions used.  Don't alter the "run" target dependencies
 # though, as this target needs to be specified manually, and things may work
 # partially even with older compilers.
 TARGET-y := $(TARGET)
 
+ifeq ($(filter run%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
+
 define simd-check-cc
 TARGET-$(shell echo 'int i;' | $(CC) -x c -c -o /dev/null -m$(1) - || echo y) :=
 endef
@@ -116,6 +118,8 @@ ifeq ($(TARGET-y),)
 $(warning Test harness not built, use newer compiler than "$(CC)" (version $(shell $(CC) -dumpversion)) and an "{evex}" capable assembler)
 endif
 
+endif
+
 all: $(TARGET-y)
 
 # For AVX and later, have the compiler avoid XMM0 to widen coverage of