diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 937fdb322..dc38c5c55 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -541,7 +541,8 @@ if(${BUILD_TESTING})
 # sadly, this doesn't take effect until CMake 3.17...
 set(CMAKE_CTEST_ARGUMENTS "-V")
 enable_testing()
-if(DEFINED ENV{TERM})
+# the accursed Ubuntu buildd sets "TERM=unknown" for unfathomable reasons
+if(DEFINED ENV{TERM} AND NOT $ENV{TERM} STREQUAL "unknown")
 add_test(
   NAME ncpp_build
   COMMAND ncpp_build
diff --git a/tests/main.cpp b/tests/main.cpp
index 305957b92..67cc14e30 100644
--- a/tests/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/main.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ auto main(int argc, const char **argv) -> int {
     std::cout << "Running with LANG=" << lang << std::endl;
   }
   const char* term = getenv("TERM");
-  if(term == nullptr){
+  // ubuntu's buildd sets TERM=unknown, fuck it, handle this atrocity
+  if(term == nullptr || strcmp(term, "unknown") == 0){
     std::cerr << "TERM wasn't defined, exiting with success" << std::endl;
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
   }