diff --git a/GNUmakefile.in b/GNUmakefile.in
index ee636e3b50..6d1b5a06c5 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile.in
+++ b/GNUmakefile.in
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ distclean maintainer-clean:
 	@rm -rf autom4te.cache/
 	rm -f config.cache config.log config.status GNUmakefile
 
+check-tests: | temp-install
 check check-tests installcheck installcheck-parallel installcheck-tests: CHECKPREP_TOP=src/test/regress
 check check-tests installcheck installcheck-parallel installcheck-tests: submake-generated-headers
 	$(MAKE) -C src/test/regress $@