diff --git a/t/t5540-http-push-webdav.sh b/t/t5540-http-push-webdav.sh
index 8b68bb38a4..b0dbacf0b9 100755
--- a/t/t5540-http-push-webdav.sh
+++ b/t/t5540-http-push-webdav.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ then
 	test_done
 fi
 
+if test_have_prereq !REFFILES
+then
+	skip_all='skipping test; dumb HTTP protocol not supported with reftable.'
+	test_done
+fi
+
 LIB_HTTPD_DAV=t
 . "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-httpd.sh
 ROOT_PATH="$PWD"