diff --git a/test/cmplxdivide.c b/test/cmplxdivide.c
index b340f04d88..12dc4f1c0c 100644
--- a/test/cmplxdivide.c
+++ b/test/cmplxdivide.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ main(void)
 	int i, j, k, l;
 	double complex n, d, q;
 	
+	printf("// skip\n");
 	printf("// # generated by cmplxdivide.c\n");
 	printf("\n");
 	printf("package main\n");
diff --git a/test/cmplxdivide1.go b/test/cmplxdivide1.go
index 6a1dee9fe7..e9031dd151 100644
--- a/test/cmplxdivide1.go
+++ b/test/cmplxdivide1.go
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// skip
 // # generated by cmplxdivide.c
 
 package main
diff --git a/test/ddd2.go b/test/ddd2.go
index 2edae36b1e..a141a39c76 100644
--- a/test/ddd2.go
+++ b/test/ddd2.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true
+// skip
 
 // Copyright 2010 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug223.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug223.go
index 80f9cae819..eccf574a14 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/bug223.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug223.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// (! $G $D/$F.go) | grep 'initialization loop' >/dev/null || echo BUG: bug223
+// errorcheck
 
 // Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ func f() {
 	}
 }
 
-var m = map[string]F{"f": f}
+var m = map[string]F{"f": f} // ERROR "initialization loop"
diff --git a/test/import2.go b/test/import2.go
index 0acfabcc18..5c275f34b3 100644
--- a/test/import2.go
+++ b/test/import2.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true  # used by import3
+// skip # used by import3
 
 // Copyright 2010 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/interface/embed0.go b/test/interface/embed0.go
index dee8319e4e..e2ee20adeb 100644
--- a/test/interface/embed0.go
+++ b/test/interface/embed0.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true	# used by embed1.go
+// skip # used by embed1.go
 
 // Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/interface/private1.go b/test/interface/private1.go
index 9c831a2f47..3281c38be6 100644
--- a/test/interface/private1.go
+++ b/test/interface/private1.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true  # used by private.go
+// skip # used by private.go
 
 // Copyright 2011 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/interface/recursive1.go b/test/interface/recursive1.go
index 524dda82c6..cc3cdc37f1 100644
--- a/test/interface/recursive1.go
+++ b/test/interface/recursive1.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true  # used by recursive2
+// skip # used by recursive2
 
 // Copyright 2012 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/method4a.go b/test/method4a.go
index 11fa218f3d..d23039bfaa 100644
--- a/test/method4a.go
+++ b/test/method4a.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// true
+// skip
 
 // Copyright 2012 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
diff --git a/test/run.go b/test/run.go
index bf79079b64..ac6e3c0e27 100644
--- a/test/run.go
+++ b/test/run.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// #ignore
+// skip
 
 // Copyright 2012 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ type test struct {
 	donec       chan bool // closed when done
 
 	src    string
-	action string // "compile", "build", "run", "errorcheck"
+	action string // "compile", "build", "run", "errorcheck", "skip"
 
 	tempDir string
 	err     error
@@ -253,6 +253,9 @@ func (t *test) run() {
 		fallthrough
 	case "compile", "build", "run", "errorcheck":
 		t.action = action
+	case "skip":
+		t.action = "skip"
+		return
 	default:
 		t.err = skipError("skipped; unknown pattern: " + action)
 		t.action = "??"
diff --git a/test/testlib b/test/testlib
index 4c7d9578b5..3858431a7e 100644
--- a/test/testlib
+++ b/test/testlib
@@ -38,3 +38,7 @@ cmpout() {
 errorcheck() {
 	errchk $G -e $D/$F.go
 }
+
+skip() {
+	true
+}