diff --git a/package/gettext/gettext.mk b/package/gettext/gettext.mk
index 77881d3e34..a91cb7f1f7 100644
--- a/package/gettext/gettext.mk
+++ b/package/gettext/gettext.mk
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ define GETTEXT_DISABLE_TOOLS
 endef
 endif # GETTEXT_TOOLS = n
 
+# The tools tests build fails with full toolchain without threads
+define GETTEXT_DISABLE_TESTS
+	$(SED) 's/m4 tests/m4/' $(@D)/gettext-tools/Makefile.in
+endef
+
 GETTEXT_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += GETTEXT_DISABLE_TOOLS
+GETTEXT_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += GETTEXT_DISABLE_TESTS
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))