diff --git a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
index b12fb0992..38489a87e 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
@@ -28691,7 +28691,7 @@ int mutex_test(void)
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_PTHREADS
     wolfSSL_Mutex m;
 #endif
-#ifndef WOLFSSL_NO_MALLOC
+#if !defined(WOLFSSL_NO_MALLOC) && !defined(WOLFSSL_USER_MUTEX)
     wolfSSL_Mutex *mm = wc_InitAndAllocMutex();
     if (mm == NULL)
         return -12700;
diff --git a/wolfssl/internal.h b/wolfssl/internal.h
index 925720fd2..4e26a16cc 100644
--- a/wolfssl/internal.h
+++ b/wolfssl/internal.h
@@ -186,8 +186,10 @@
     /* do nothing */
 #else
     #ifndef SINGLE_THREADED
-        #define WOLFSSL_PTHREADS
-        #include <pthread.h>
+        #ifndef  WOLFSSL_USER_MUTEX
+            #define WOLFSSL_PTHREADS
+            #include <pthread.h>
+        #endif
     #endif
     #if defined(OPENSSL_EXTRA) && !defined(NO_FILESYSTEM)
         #include <unistd.h>      /* for close of BIO */