diff --git a/scripts/external.test b/scripts/external.test
index 3eb84bbc7..9681677d9 100755
--- a/scripts/external.test
+++ b/scripts/external.test
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ fi
 
 # is our desired server there?
 ./scripts/ping.test $server 2
+RESULT=$?
+[ $RESULT -ne 0 ] && exit 0
 
 # client test against the server
 ./examples/client/client -X -C -h $server -p 443 -g -A $ca
diff --git a/scripts/google.test b/scripts/google.test
index d84b4da2d..ecc126836 100755
--- a/scripts/google.test
+++ b/scripts/google.test
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ server=www.google.com
 
 # is our desired server there?
 ./scripts/ping.test $server 2
+RESULT=$?
+[ $RESULT -ne 0 ] && exit 0
 
 # client test against the server
 ./examples/client/client -X -C -h $server -p 443 -g -d
diff --git a/scripts/ocsp.test b/scripts/ocsp.test
index 807c80533..97a8af1bc 100755
--- a/scripts/ocsp.test
+++ b/scripts/ocsp.test
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ ca=certs/external/ca-globalsign-root-r2.pem
 
 # is our desired server there?
 ./scripts/ping.test $server 2
+RESULT=$?
+[ $RESULT -ne 0 ] && exit 0
 
 # client test against the server
 ./examples/client/client -X -C -h $server -p 443 -A $ca -g -o
diff --git a/scripts/ping.test b/scripts/ping.test
index a6e21277f..f1049d48e 100755
--- a/scripts/ping.test
+++ b/scripts/ping.test
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ esac
 # is our desired server there?
 ping $PINGSW $tries $server
 RESULT=$?
-[ $RESULT -ne 0 ] && echo -e "\n\nCouldn't find $server, skipping" && exit 0
+[ $RESULT -ne 0 ] && echo -e "\n\nCouldn't find $server, skipping" && exit 1
 
 exit 0