diff --git a/helgrind/tests/bar_bad.vgtest b/helgrind/tests/bar_bad.vgtest
index 8333faa2f..fe946f55b 100644
--- a/helgrind/tests/bar_bad.vgtest
+++ b/helgrind/tests/bar_bad.vgtest
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+prereq: test -e bar_bad
 prog: bar_bad
 vgopts: -q
diff --git a/helgrind/tests/bar_trivial.vgtest b/helgrind/tests/bar_trivial.vgtest
index 58e85b119..40f27764e 100644
--- a/helgrind/tests/bar_trivial.vgtest
+++ b/helgrind/tests/bar_trivial.vgtest
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+prereq: test -e bar_trivial
 prog: bar_trivial
 vgopts: -q
diff --git a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier1.vgtest b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier1.vgtest
index be0ef7bea..f28eb6674 100644
--- a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier1.vgtest
+++ b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier1.vgtest
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+prereq: test -e bar_trivial
 prog: pth_barrier
 args: 2 1 1
 vgopts: -q
diff --git a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier2.vgtest b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier2.vgtest
index adbc3a805..d9bb01aa7 100644
--- a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier2.vgtest
+++ b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier2.vgtest
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+prereq: test -e bar_trivial
 prog: pth_barrier
 args: 2 32 1
 vgopts: -q --cmp-race-err-addrs=yes
diff --git a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier3.vgtest b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier3.vgtest
index 5798c3905..d17e7824f 100644
--- a/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier3.vgtest
+++ b/helgrind/tests/pth_barrier3.vgtest
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+prereq: test -e bar_trivial
 prog: pth_barrier
 args: 32 1 1
 vgopts: -q