diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm-test-1-run.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm-test-1-run.sh
index 2a3f87a8c87d..0af36a721b9c 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm-test-1-run.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm-test-1-run.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ then
 	KERNEL=$base_resdir/${BOOT_IMAGE##*/} # use the last component of ${BOOT_IMAGE}
 	ln -s $base_resdir/Make*.out $resdir  # for kvm-recheck.sh
 	ln -s $base_resdir/.config $resdir  # for kvm-recheck.sh
+	# Arch-independent indicator
+	touch $resdir/builtkernel
 elif kvm-build.sh $T/Kc2 $builddir
 then
 	# Had to build a kernel for this test.
@@ -108,6 +110,8 @@ then
 	then
 		cp $builddir/$BOOT_IMAGE $resdir
 		KERNEL=$resdir/${BOOT_IMAGE##*/}
+		# Arch-independent indicator
+		touch $resdir/builtkernel
 	else
 		echo No identifiable boot image, not running KVM, see $resdir.
 		echo Do the torture scripts know about your architecture?
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm.sh
index 690cb91f0295..cdb32aa79366 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/rcutorture/bin/kvm.sh
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ function dump(first, pastlast, batchnum)
 {
 	print "echo ----Start batch " batchnum ": `date`";
 	print "echo ----Start batch " batchnum ": `date` >> " rd "/log";
+	print "needqemurun="
 	jn=1
 	for (j = first; j < pastlast; j++) {
 		builddir=KVM "/b" jn
@@ -367,10 +368,11 @@ function dump(first, pastlast, batchnum)
 	for (j = 1; j < jn; j++) {
 		builddir=KVM "/b" j
 		print "rm -f " builddir ".ready"
-		print "if test -z \"$TORTURE_BUILDONLY\""
+		print "if test -f \"" rd cfr[j] "/builtkernel\""
 		print "then"
-		print "\techo ----", cfr[j], cpusr[j] ovf ": Starting kernel. `date`";
-		print "\techo ----", cfr[j], cpusr[j] ovf ": Starting kernel. `date` >> " rd "/log";
+		print "\techo ----", cfr[j], cpusr[j] ovf ": Kernel present. `date`";
+		print "\techo ----", cfr[j], cpusr[j] ovf ": Kernel present. `date` >> " rd "/log";
+		print "\tneedqemurun=1"
 		print "fi"
 	}
 	njitter = 0;
@@ -385,13 +387,22 @@ function dump(first, pastlast, batchnum)
 		njitter = 0;
 		print "echo Build-only run, so suppressing jitter >> " rd "/log"
 	}
-	for (j = 0; j < njitter; j++)
-		print "jitter.sh " j " " dur " " ja[2] " " ja[3] "&"
-	print "wait"
-	print "if test -z \"$TORTURE_BUILDONLY\""
+	if (TORTURE_BUILDONLY) {
+		print "needqemurun="
+	}
+	print "if test -n \"$needqemurun\""
 	print "then"
+	print "\techo ---- Starting kernels. `date`";
+	print "\techo ---- Starting kernels. `date` >> " rd "/log";
+	for (j = 0; j < njitter; j++)
+		print "\tjitter.sh " j " " dur " " ja[2] " " ja[3] "&"
+	print "\twait"
 	print "\techo ---- All kernel runs complete. `date`";
 	print "\techo ---- All kernel runs complete. `date` >> " rd "/log";
+	print "else"
+	print "\twait"
+	print "\techo ---- No kernel runs. `date`";
+	print "\techo ---- No kernel runs. `date` >> " rd "/log";
 	print "fi"
 	for (j = 1; j < jn; j++) {
 		builddir=KVM "/b" j