diff --git a/make_debian.sh b/make_debian.sh
index 8872c362..7d136a6a 100755
--- a/make_debian.sh
+++ b/make_debian.sh
@@ -96,14 +96,17 @@ if [ -n "$RUNTEST" ]; then
     cat test.txt || true
     exit 1
   }
-  ($RELEASE/usr/bin/ebusd -f -c src/lib/ebus/test -d /dev/null --log=all:debug --inject=stop 10fe0900040000803e/ > test.txt) || testdie "float conversion"
-  egrep "received update-read broadcast test QQ=10: 0\.25$" test.txt || testdie "float result"
   if [ "$RUNTEST" = "full" ]; then
     (cd src/lib/ebus/test && make test_filereader && ./test_filereader) > test.txt || testdie "filereader"
     (cd src/lib/ebus/test && make test_data && ./test_data) > test.txt || testdie "data"
     (cd src/lib/ebus/test && make test_message && ./test_message) > test.txt || testdie "message"
     (cd src/lib/ebus/test && make test_symbol && ./test_symbol) > test.txt || testdie "symbol"
   fi
+  if [ "${ARCH#*arm}" = "$ARCH" ]; then
+    # only run on non-arm as crossbuild can't read some files
+    ("$RELEASE/usr/bin/ebusd" -f -c src/lib/ebus/test -d /dev/null --log=all:debug --inject=stop 10fe0900040000803e/ > test.txt) || testdie "float conversion"
+    egrep "received update-read broadcast test QQ=10: 0\.25$" test.txt || testdie "float result"
+  fi
 fi
 
 echo