diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
index 2f4b1eb3a680..59ccdff18214 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ extern void abort_hooks(void);
 
 __attribute__((noinline)) int read_ptr(int *ptr);
 void expected_pkey_fault(int pkey);
+int sys_pkey_alloc(unsigned long flags, unsigned long init_val);
+int sys_pkey_free(unsigned long pkey);
 
 #if defined(__i386__) || defined(__x86_64__) /* arch */
 #include "pkey-x86.h"
@@ -186,4 +188,32 @@ static inline u32 *siginfo_get_pkey_ptr(siginfo_t *si)
 #endif
 }
 
+static inline int kernel_has_pkeys(void)
+{
+	/* try allocating a key and see if it succeeds */
+	int ret = sys_pkey_alloc(0, 0);
+	if (ret <= 0) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	sys_pkey_free(ret);
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static inline int is_pkeys_supported(void)
+{
+	/* check if the cpu supports pkeys */
+	if (!cpu_has_pkeys()) {
+		dprintf1("SKIP: %s: no CPU support\n", __func__);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* check if the kernel supports pkeys */
+	if (!kernel_has_pkeys()) {
+		dprintf1("SKIP: %s: no kernel support\n", __func__);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
 #endif /* _PKEYS_HELPER_H */
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-powerpc.h b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-powerpc.h
index 7ad283d4524e..1f82caa6293b 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-powerpc.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-powerpc.h
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ static inline void __write_pkey_reg(u64 pkey_reg)
 			__func__, __read_pkey_reg(), pkey_reg);
 }
 
-static inline int cpu_has_pku(void)
+static inline int cpu_has_pkeys(void)
 {
+	/* No simple way to determine this */
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-x86.h b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-x86.h
index a0c59d4f7af2..6421b846aa16 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-x86.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-x86.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ static inline void __cpuid(unsigned int *eax, unsigned int *ebx,
 #define X86_FEATURE_PKU        (1<<3) /* Protection Keys for Userspace */
 #define X86_FEATURE_OSPKE      (1<<4) /* OS Protection Keys Enable */
 
-static inline int cpu_has_pku(void)
+static inline int cpu_has_pkeys(void)
 {
 	unsigned int eax;
 	unsigned int ebx;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/protection_keys.c b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/protection_keys.c
index 5fcbbc525364..95f173049f43 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/protection_keys.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/protection_keys.c
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ void test_mprotect_pkey_on_unsupported_cpu(int *ptr, u16 pkey)
 	int size = PAGE_SIZE;
 	int sret;
 
-	if (cpu_has_pku()) {
+	if (cpu_has_pkeys()) {
 		dprintf1("SKIP: %s: no CPU support\n", __func__);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -1447,12 +1447,13 @@ void pkey_setup_shadow(void)
 int main(void)
 {
 	int nr_iterations = 22;
+	int pkeys_supported = is_pkeys_supported();
 
 	setup_handlers();
 
-	printf("has pku: %d\n", cpu_has_pku());
+	printf("has pkeys: %d\n", pkeys_supported);
 
-	if (!cpu_has_pku()) {
+	if (!pkeys_supported) {
 		int size = PAGE_SIZE;
 		int *ptr;