diff --git a/testing/util.py b/testing/util.py
index cf9dde9d..e25fdd0e 100644
--- a/testing/util.py
+++ b/testing/util.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import distutils
 import os.path
 import shutil
 
@@ -68,6 +69,11 @@ skipif_slowtests_false = pytest.mark.skipif(
     reason='slowtests=false',
 )
 
+skipif_cant_run_swift = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    distutils.spawn.find_executable('swift') is None,
+    reason='swift isn\'t installed or can\'t be found'
+)
+
 xfailif_windows_no_ruby = pytest.mark.xfail(
     os.name == 'nt',
     reason='Ruby support not yet implemented on windows.',
diff --git a/tests/repository_test.py b/tests/repository_test.py
index 1bf5a94d..e37b304d 100644
--- a/tests/repository_test.py
+++ b/tests/repository_test.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from testing.fixtures import make_config_from_repo
 from testing.fixtures import make_repo
 from testing.fixtures import modify_manifest
 from testing.util import skipif_cant_run_docker
+from testing.util import skipif_cant_run_swift
 from testing.util import skipif_slowtests_false
 from testing.util import xfailif_no_pcre_support
 from testing.util import xfailif_windows_no_node
@@ -214,6 +215,7 @@ def test_system_hook_with_spaces(tempdir_factory, store):
     )
 
 
+@skipif_cant_run_swift
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_swift_hook(tempdir_factory, store):
     _test_hook_repo(