diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/utimer-test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/utimer-test.c
index 1a9ff010cb11..07aeaa777649 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/utimer-test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/utimer-test.c
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ FIXTURE_SETUP(timer_f) {
 	self->utimer_info->resolution = (NANO / FRAME_RATE * PERIOD_SIZE);
 
 	timer_dev_fd = open("/dev/snd/timer", O_RDONLY);
+	if (timer_dev_fd < 0 &&
+	    (errno == ENOENT || errno == ENODEV || errno == ENXIO))
+		SKIP(return, "ALSA timer device unavailable");
 	ASSERT_GE(timer_dev_fd, 0);
 
 	if (ioctl(timer_dev_fd, SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_CREATE, self->utimer_info) < 0) {
@@ -156,6 +159,9 @@ TEST(wrong_timers_test) {
 	};
 
 	timer_dev_fd = open("/dev/snd/timer", O_RDONLY);
+	if (timer_dev_fd < 0 &&
+	    (errno == ENOENT || errno == ENODEV || errno == ENXIO))
+		SKIP(return, "ALSA timer device unavailable");
 	ASSERT_GE(timer_dev_fd, 0);
 
 	utimer_fd = ioctl(timer_dev_fd, SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_CREATE, &wrong_timer);