diff --git a/Lib/json/tests/test_scanstring.py b/Lib/json/tests/test_scanstring.py
index d503851e56d..8f5999eff36 100644
--- a/Lib/json/tests/test_scanstring.py
+++ b/Lib/json/tests/test_scanstring.py
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 import sys
 import decimal
-from unittest import TestCase
+from unittest import TestCase, skipUnless
 
 import json
 import json.decoder
 
+try:
+    import _json
+except ImportError:
+    _json = None
+
 class TestScanString(TestCase):
     def test_py_scanstring(self):
         self._test_scanstring(json.decoder.py_scanstring)
 
+    @skipUnless(_json, 'test requires the _json module')
     def test_c_scanstring(self):
         if json.decoder.c_scanstring is not None:
             self._test_scanstring(json.decoder.c_scanstring)
diff --git a/Lib/json/tests/test_speedups.py b/Lib/json/tests/test_speedups.py
index 94381548a70..6f34cacc359 100644
--- a/Lib/json/tests/test_speedups.py
+++ b/Lib/json/tests/test_speedups.py
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 import decimal
-from unittest import TestCase
+from unittest import TestCase, skipUnless
 
 from json import decoder, encoder, scanner
 
+try:
+    import _json
+except ImportError:
+    _json = None
+
+@skipUnless(_json, 'test requires the _json module')
 class TestSpeedups(TestCase):
     def test_scanstring(self):
         self.assertEqual(decoder.scanstring.__module__, "_json")