diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_utils.py b/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
index 63d1e563a7..25926f2ed1 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_utils.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ from functools import partial
 from tempfile import TemporaryFile, NamedTemporaryFile, mkdtemp
 from netifaces import AF_INET6
 from mock import MagicMock, patch
+from nose import SkipTest
 from six.moves.configparser import NoSectionError, NoOptionError
 from uuid import uuid4
 
@@ -3612,6 +3613,12 @@ cluster_dfw1 = http://dfw1.host/v1/
         def _fake_syscall(*args):
             called['syscall'] = args
 
+        # Test if current architecture supports changing of priority
+        try:
+            utils.NR_ioprio_set()
+        except OSError as e:
+            raise SkipTest(e)
+
         with patch('swift.common.utils._libc_setpriority',
                    _fake_setpriority), \
                 patch('swift.common.utils._posix_syscall', _fake_syscall):