diff --git a/kwant/tests/test_plotter.py b/kwant/tests/test_plotter.py
index be703944f543622f5343c65cf326dcd44d24468b..4b97cfbb1c30c02f934b374633ee8b36fef29e80 100644
--- a/kwant/tests/test_plotter.py
+++ b/kwant/tests/test_plotter.py
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ def test_plot():
 
 
 def test_map():
+    if not plotter.mpl_enabled:
+        raise nose.SkipTest
     sys = sys_2d()
     with tempfile.TemporaryFile('w+b') as output:
         plotter.map(sys, lambda site: site.tag[0], file=output,