diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.03-glibc.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.03-glibc.sh
index 6150ee5..8b39b29 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.03-glibc.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.03-glibc.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d glibc-${glibc_version} ] && rm -rf glibc-${glibc_version}
 
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building glibc"
 fi
 
-# temporarily disable
-#echo "running glibc make check, could take awhile..."
-#make check > ${GLSOURCES}/glibc.check.log 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running glibc make check, could take awhile..."
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/glibc.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 touch /etc/ld.so.conf
 
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.04-zlib.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.04-zlib.sh
index 790e665..6d08d09 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.04-zlib.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.04-zlib.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d zlib-${zlib_version} ] && rm -rf zlib-${zlib_version}
 
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building zlib"
 fi
 
-echo "Running zlib make check."
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/zlib.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "Running zlib make check."
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/zlib.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.06-xz.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.06-xz.sh
index c939294..3422270 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.06-xz.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.06-xz.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d xz-${xz_version} ] && rm -rf xz-${xz_version}
 
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building xz"
 fi
 
-echo "running xz make check"
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/xz.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running xz make check"
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/xz.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.07-lz4.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.07-lz4.sh
index 4437375..40fd4e3 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.07-lz4.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.07-lz4.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d lz4-${lz4_version} ] && rm -rf lz4-${lz4_version}
 
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building lz4"
 fi
 
-echo "running lz4 make check"
-make -j1 check > ${GLSOURCES}/lz4.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running lz4 make check"
+  make -j1 check > ${GLSOURCES}/lz4.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make BUILD_STATIC=no PREFIX=/usr install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.08-zstd.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.08-zstd.sh
index a242d72..b287544 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.08-zstd.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.08-zstd.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d zstd-${zstd_version} ] && rm -rf zstd-${zstd_version}
 
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building zstd"
 fi
 
-echo "running zstd make check"
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/zstd.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running zstd make check"
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/zstd.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make prefix=/usr install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.09-file.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.09-file.sh
index 0ba0a6b..46dcd5f 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.09-file.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.09-file.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d file-${file_version} ] && rm -rf file-${file_version}
 
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building file"
 fi
 
-echo "running file make check"
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/file.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running file make check"
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/file.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.10-readline.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.10-readline.sh
index cfc1dee..45077b5 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.10-readline.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.10-readline.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d readline-${readline_version} ] && rm -rf readline-${readline_version}
 
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.11-m4.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.11-m4.sh
index fc15593..aa091cd 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.11-m4.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.11-m4.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d m4-${m4_version} ] && rm -rf m4-${m4_version}
 
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building m4"
 fi
 
-echo "running m4 make check"
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/m4.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running m4 make check"
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/m4.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.12-bc.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.12-bc.sh
index cad3cea..0914b70 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.12-bc.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.12-bc.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d bc-${bc_version} ] && rm -rf bc-${bc_version}
 
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building bc"
 fi
 
-echo "running bc make test"
-make test > ${GLSOURCES}/bc.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running bc make test"
+  make test > ${GLSOURCES}/bc.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.13-flex.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.13-flex.sh
index 31a179b..ae497ce 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.13-flex.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.13-flex.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d flex-${flex_version} ] && rm -rf flex-${flex_version}
 
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
   myfail "Failed building flex"
 fi
 
-echo "running flex make check"
-make check > ${GLSOURCES}/flex.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running flex make check"
+  make check > ${GLSOURCES}/flex.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/CH8Build/CH08.14-tcl.sh b/CH8Build/CH08.14-tcl.sh
index ee216f9..e2b5b24 100644
--- a/CH8Build/CH08.14-tcl.sh
+++ b/CH8Build/CH08.14-tcl.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ source versions.sh
 
 GLSOURCES="/sources"
 
-pushd $GLSOURCES > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
+pushd ${GLSOURCES} > /dev/null 2>&1 || myfail "Failed to move to ${GLSOURCES}"
 
 [ -d tcl${tcl_version} ] && rm -rf tcl${tcl_version}
 
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ sed -e "s|$SRCDIR/unix/pkgs/itcl4.2.4|/usr/lib/itcl4.2.4|" \
 
 unset SRCDIR
 
-echo "running tcl make test"
-make test > ${GLSOURCES}/tcl.check 2>&1
+if [ ! -f ${GLSOURCES}/SKIPTESTS ]; then
+  echo "running tcl make test"
+  make test > ${GLSOURCES}/tcl.check.log 2>&1
+fi
 
 make install
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then