diff --git a/Detectors/TPC/base/CMakeLists.txt b/Detectors/TPC/base/CMakeLists.txt
index 8c796d7e4ff13..a82214d8c070f 100644
--- a/Detectors/TPC/base/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Detectors/TPC/base/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@ o2_add_test(Base
             SOURCES test/testTPCBase.cxx
             LABELS tpc)
 
-o2_add_test(CalDet
+if(BUILD_SIMULATION)
+  # this test needs CCDB/XROOTD which is for sure
+  # available in the default-o2 software stack
+  o2_add_test(CalDet
             COMPONENT_NAME tpc
             PUBLIC_LINK_LIBRARIES O2::TPCBase
             SOURCES test/testTPCCalDet.cxx
             ENVIRONMENT O2_ROOT=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/stage
             LABELS tpc)
+endif()
 
 o2_add_test(Mapper
             COMPONENT_NAME tpc