diff --git a/tests/qttest/tst_unreadableelement.cpp b/tests/qttest/tst_unreadableelement.cpp
index 906b8da58..607ac210b 100644
--- a/tests/qttest/tst_unreadableelement.cpp
+++ b/tests/qttest/tst_unreadableelement.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@ private slots:
 				.contains(QStringLiteral("RESULT placed")));
 		QVERIFY(QFile::exists(embedded));
 
-		QVERIFY(QFile::setPermissions(m_symbol, QFileDevice::Permissions()));
+		// Qt cannot take read permission away on Windows: it only knows the
+		// read-only flag there, so this returns false. The check needs a
+		// file the user cannot read, which this system cannot give it.
+		if (!QFile::setPermissions(m_symbol, QFileDevice::Permissions()))
+			QSKIP("this system cannot make the file unreadable (Windows?)");
 		QFile probe(m_symbol);
 		if (probe.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly))
 			QSKIP("permissions do not stop this user reading the file (root?)");