diff --git a/xbob/io/test/test_video_codec.py b/xbob/io/test/test_video_codec.py
index 116b9de175e923dc59dcb13162424b64ddbf7931..226f5a4e451afd098d0953eec78b0602e96f8058 100644
--- a/xbob/io/test/test_video_codec.py
+++ b/xbob/io/test/test_video_codec.py
@@ -98,14 +98,16 @@ def test_format_codecs():
     distortions['mpeg2video']['color'] = 9.0
     distortions['mpeg2video']['frameskip'] = 1.4
 
-  from .._externals import supported_videowriter_formats
-  SUPPORTED = supported_videowriter_formats()
-  for format in SUPPORTED:
-    for codec in SUPPORTED[format]['supported_codecs']:
-      for method in methods:
-        check_format_codec.description = "%s.test_%s_format_%s_codec_%s" % (__name__, method, format, codec)
-        distortion = distortions.get(codec, distortions['default'])[method]
-        yield check_format_codec, methods[method], shape, framerate, format, codec, distortion
+  from .._externals import versions
+  if versions['FFmpeg']['ffmpeg'] != 'unavailable':
+    from .._externals import supported_videowriter_formats
+    SUPPORTED = supported_videowriter_formats()
+    for format in SUPPORTED:
+      for codec in SUPPORTED[format]['supported_codecs']:
+        for method in methods:
+          check_format_codec.description = "%s.test_%s_format_%s_codec_%s" % (__name__, method, format, codec)
+          distortion = distortions.get(codec, distortions['default'])[method]
+          yield check_format_codec, methods[method], shape, framerate, format, codec, distortion
 
 @testutils.ffmpeg_found()
 def check_user_video(format, codec, maxdist):
@@ -179,10 +181,12 @@ def test_user_video():
       msmpeg4v2  = 2.3,
       )
 
-  from .._externals import supported_videowriter_formats
-  SUPPORTED = supported_videowriter_formats()
-  for format in SUPPORTED:
-    for codec in SUPPORTED[format]['supported_codecs']:
-      check_user_video.description = "%s.test_user_video_format_%s_codec_%s" % (__name__, format, codec)
-      distortion = distortions.get(codec, distortions['default'])
-      yield check_user_video, format, codec, distortion
+  from .._externals import versions
+  if versions['FFmpeg']['ffmpeg'] != 'unavailable':
+    from .._externals import supported_videowriter_formats
+    SUPPORTED = supported_videowriter_formats()
+    for format in SUPPORTED:
+      for codec in SUPPORTED[format]['supported_codecs']:
+        check_user_video.description = "%s.test_user_video_format_%s_codec_%s" % (__name__, format, codec)
+        distortion = distortions.get(codec, distortions['default'])
+        yield check_user_video, format, codec, distortion
diff --git a/xbob/io/test/utils.py b/xbob/io/test/utils.py
index 5f72f91b8924fd7e8cb0fe7527619cddb3e401ef..0ec99af06948b4a207b63bda3492664f1f81190c 100644
--- a/xbob/io/test/utils.py
+++ b/xbob/io/test/utils.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ def ffmpeg_version_lessthan(v):
   indicated as a string parameter.'''
 
   from .._externals import versions
+  if versions['FFmpeg']['ffmpeg'] == 'unavailable': return False
   avcodec_inst= SV(versions['FFmpeg']['avcodec'])
   avcodec_req = ffmpeg_versions[v][0]
   return avcodec_inst < avcodec_req