diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 7b373bc0bb..fab6281eb7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -936,6 +936,17 @@ do
     fi
 done
 
+# Check for ancillary tools used in testing
+genisoimage=
+for binary in genisoimage
+do
+    if has $binary
+    then
+        genisoimage=$(command -v "$binary")
+        break
+    fi
+done
+
 : ${smbd=${SMBD-/usr/sbin/smbd}}
 
 # Default objcc to clang if available, otherwise use CC
@@ -6567,6 +6578,7 @@ echo "python            $python ($python_version)"
 if test "$docs" != "no"; then
     echo "sphinx-build      $sphinx_build"
 fi
+echo "genisoimage       $genisoimage"
 echo "slirp support     $slirp $(echo_version $slirp $slirp_version)"
 if test "$slirp" != "no" ; then
     echo "smbd              $smbd"
@@ -7616,6 +7628,7 @@ echo "INSTALL_PROG=$install -c -m 0755" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "INSTALL_LIB=$install -c -m 0644" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "PYTHON=$python" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "SPHINX_BUILD=$sphinx_build" >> $config_host_mak
+echo "GENISOIMAGE=$genisoimage" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CC=$cc" >> $config_host_mak
 if $iasl -h > /dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "IASL=$iasl" >> $config_host_mak
diff --git a/tests/vm/Makefile.include b/tests/vm/Makefile.include
index 778e506755..1bf9693d19 100644
--- a/tests/vm/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/vm/Makefile.include
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 
 .PHONY: vm-build-all vm-clean-all
 
-IMAGES := ubuntu.i386 freebsd netbsd openbsd centos fedora
+IMAGES := freebsd netbsd openbsd centos fedora
+ifneq ($(GENISOIMAGE),)
+IMAGES += ubuntu.i386 centos
+endif
+
 IMAGES_DIR := $(HOME)/.cache/qemu-vm/images
 IMAGE_FILES := $(patsubst %, $(IMAGES_DIR)/%.img, $(IMAGES))
 
@@ -12,12 +16,16 @@ IMAGE_FILES := $(patsubst %, $(IMAGES_DIR)/%.img, $(IMAGES))
 vm-help vm-test:
 	@echo "vm-help: Test QEMU in preconfigured virtual machines"
 	@echo
-	@echo "  vm-build-ubuntu.i386            - Build QEMU in ubuntu i386 VM"
 	@echo "  vm-build-freebsd                - Build QEMU in FreeBSD VM"
 	@echo "  vm-build-netbsd                 - Build QEMU in NetBSD VM"
 	@echo "  vm-build-openbsd                - Build QEMU in OpenBSD VM"
-	@echo "  vm-build-centos                 - Build QEMU in CentOS VM, with Docker"
 	@echo "  vm-build-fedora                 - Build QEMU in Fedora VM"
+ifneq ($(GENISOIMAGE),)
+	@echo "  vm-build-centos                 - Build QEMU in CentOS VM, with Docker"
+	@echo "  vm-build-ubuntu.i386            - Build QEMU in ubuntu i386 VM"
+else
+	@echo "  (install genisoimage to build centos/ubuntu images)"
+endif
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "  vm-build-all                    - Build QEMU in all VMs"
 	@echo "  vm-clean-all                    - Clean up VM images"