diff --git a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
index ac4d91d4e..4270793fc 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/test/test.c
@@ -27880,7 +27880,7 @@ 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 a6dc8695f..c10f9223b 100644
--- a/wolfssl/internal.h
+++ b/wolfssl/internal.h
@@ -183,8 +183,10 @@
     /* 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 */