diff --git a/src/cmd/go/go_test.go b/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
index 8b5917b633..5b0f2783f3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
@@ -24,17 +24,16 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-// Whether we can run go or ./testgo.
-var canRun = true
+var (
+	canRun  = true  // whether we can run go or ./testgo
+	canRace = false // whether we can run the race detector
+	canCgo  = false // whether we can use cgo
 
-// The suffix for executables, because Windows.
-var exeSuffix string
+	exeSuffix string // ".exe" on Windows
 
-// Whether we can run the race detector.
-var canRace bool
-
-// Whether we can use cgo.
-var canCgo bool
+	builder             = testenv.Builder()
+	skipExternalBuilder = false // skip external tests on this builder
+)
 
 func init() {
 	switch runtime.GOOS {
@@ -47,6 +46,11 @@ func init() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if strings.HasPrefix(builder+"-", "freebsd-arm-") {
+		skipExternalBuilder = true
+		canRun = false
+	}
+
 	switch runtime.GOOS {
 	case "windows":
 		exeSuffix = ".exe"
@@ -134,6 +138,10 @@ type testgoData struct {
 func testgo(t *testing.T) *testgoData {
 	testenv.MustHaveGoBuild(t)
 
+	if skipExternalBuilder {
+		t.Skip("skipping external tests on %s builder", builder)
+	}
+
 	return &testgoData{t: t}
 }