diff --git a/.travis-functions.sh b/.travis-functions.sh
index ba7ba1eaf..c8c0e4cff 100755
--- a/.travis-functions.sh
+++ b/.travis-functions.sh
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ function check_nonroot
 	$MAKE || return
 
 	osx_prepare_check
+
+	# TS_OPTS= overwrites default from tests/Makemodule.am
 	$MAKE check TS_OPTS="$make_opts" || return
 
 	make_checkusage || return
@@ -84,9 +86,14 @@ function check_root
 	xconfigure $conf_opts || return
 	$MAKE || return
 
-	$MAKE check TS_COMMAND="true" || return
+	# compile tests only
+	$MAKE check-programs || return
+
+	# Modify environment for OSX
 	osx_prepare_check
-	sudo -E $MAKE check TS_OPTS="$make_opts" || return
+
+	# TS_OPTS= overwrites default from tests/Makemodule.am
+	sudo -E $MAKE check TS_PARALLEL="" TS_OPTS="$make_opts" || return
 
 	# root on osx has not enough permission for make install ;)
 	[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" = "osx" ] && return
diff --git a/tests/Makemodule.am b/tests/Makemodule.am
index 61798c98e..9be544f4a 100644
--- a/tests/Makemodule.am
+++ b/tests/Makemodule.am
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ clean-local-tests:
 CLEAN_LOCALS += clean-local-tests
 
 TS_OPTS = --nonroot
+TS_PARALLEL = --parallel
 TS_COMMAND = $(top_srcdir)/tests/run.sh \
 	--srcdir=$(abs_top_srcdir) --builddir=$(abs_top_builddir) \
-	--parallel $(TS_OPTS)
+	$(TS_PARALLEL) $(TS_OPTS)
 
 check-local-tests: $(check_PROGRAMS)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(TS_COMMAND)