diff --git a/test/functional/test_runner.py b/test/functional/test_runner.py
index e57720eda0..2932f82970 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_runner.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_runner.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ BASE_SCRIPTS= [
     'rawtransactions.py',
     'reindex.py',
     # vv Tests less than 30s vv
+    "zmq_test.py",
     'mempool_resurrect_test.py',
     'txn_doublespend.py --mineblock',
     'txn_clone.py',
@@ -110,11 +111,6 @@ BASE_SCRIPTS= [
     'p2p-leaktests.py',
 ]
 
-ZMQ_SCRIPTS = [
-    # ZMQ test can only be run if bitcoin was built with zmq-enabled.
-    # call test_runner.py with -nozmq to explicitly exclude these tests.
-    'zmq_test.py']
-
 EXTENDED_SCRIPTS = [
     # These tests are not run by the travis build process.
     # Longest test should go first, to favor running tests in parallel
@@ -148,7 +144,7 @@ EXTENDED_SCRIPTS = [
 ]
 
 # Place EXTENDED_SCRIPTS first since it has the 3 longest running tests
-ALL_SCRIPTS = EXTENDED_SCRIPTS + BASE_SCRIPTS + ZMQ_SCRIPTS
+ALL_SCRIPTS = EXTENDED_SCRIPTS + BASE_SCRIPTS
 
 NON_SCRIPTS = [
     # These are python files that live in the functional tests directory, but are not test scripts.
@@ -173,7 +169,6 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--jobs', '-j', type=int, default=4, help='how many test scripts to run in parallel. Default=4.')
     parser.add_argument('--keepcache', '-k', action='store_true', help='the default behavior is to flush the cache directory on startup. --keepcache retains the cache from the previous testrun.')
     parser.add_argument('--quiet', '-q', action='store_true', help='only print results summary and failure logs')
-    parser.add_argument('--nozmq', action='store_true', help='do not run the zmq tests')
     args, unknown_args = parser.parse_known_args()
 
     # Create a set to store arguments and create the passon string
@@ -191,7 +186,6 @@ def main():
     enable_wallet = config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_WALLET")
     enable_utils = config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_UTILS")
     enable_bitcoind = config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_BITCOIND")
-    enable_zmq = config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_ZMQ") and not args.nozmq
 
     if config["environment"]["EXEEXT"] == ".exe" and not args.force:
         # https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/commit/d52802551752140cf41f0d9a225a43e84404d3e9
@@ -204,15 +198,6 @@ def main():
         print("Rerun `configure` with -enable-wallet, -with-utils and -with-daemon and rerun make")
         sys.exit(0)
 
-    # python3-zmq may not be installed. Handle this gracefully and with some helpful info
-    if enable_zmq:
-        try:
-            import zmq
-        except ImportError:
-            print("ERROR: \"import zmq\" failed. Use -nozmq to run without the ZMQ tests."
-                  "To run zmq tests, see dependency info in /test/README.md.")
-            raise
-
     # Build list of tests
     if tests:
         # Individual tests have been specified. Run specified tests that exist
@@ -220,11 +205,9 @@ def main():
         test_list = [t for t in ALL_SCRIPTS if
                 (t in tests or re.sub(".py$", "", t) in tests)]
     else:
-        # No individual tests have been specified. Run base tests, and
-        # optionally ZMQ tests and extended tests.
+        # No individual tests have been specified.
+        # Run all base tests, and optionally run extended tests.
         test_list = BASE_SCRIPTS
-        if enable_zmq:
-            test_list += ZMQ_SCRIPTS
         if args.extended:
             # place the EXTENDED_SCRIPTS first since the three longest ones
             # are there and the list is shorter
diff --git a/test/functional/zmq_test.py b/test/functional/zmq_test.py
index 9e27b46381..891b609ffa 100755
--- a/test/functional/zmq_test.py
+++ b/test/functional/zmq_test.py
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 # Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 # file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 """Test the ZMQ API."""
+import configparser
+import os
+import struct
+import sys
 
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.util import *
-import zmq
-import struct
 
 class ZMQTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
@@ -18,6 +20,21 @@ class ZMQTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
     port = 28332
 
     def setup_nodes(self):
+        # Try to import python3-zmq. Skip this test if the import fails.
+        try:
+            import zmq
+        except ImportError:
+            self.log.warning("python3-zmq module not available. Skipping zmq tests!")
+            sys.exit(self.TEST_EXIT_SKIPPED)
+
+        # Check that bitcoin has been built with ZMQ enabled
+        config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+        config.read_file(open(os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/config.ini"))
+
+        if not config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_ZMQ"):
+            self.log.warning("bitcoind has not been built with zmq enabled. Skipping zmq tests!")
+            sys.exit(self.TEST_EXIT_SKIPPED)
+
         self.zmqContext = zmq.Context()
         self.zmqSubSocket = self.zmqContext.socket(zmq.SUB)
         self.zmqSubSocket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, b"hashblock")