diff --git a/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in b/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
index 19d00991fa..e1549b3701 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
@@ -67,6 +67,31 @@ export KRB5_CONFIG=/dev/null
 # use local keytab instead of default /etc/krb5.keytab
 export KRB5_KTNAME=dns.keytab
 
+#
+# Programs detected by configure
+# Variables will be empty if no program was found by configure
+#
+export SHELL=@SHELL@
+export CURL=@CURL@
+export NC=@NC@
+export XMLLINT=@XMLLINT@
+export XSLTPROC=@XSLTPROC@
+export PYTEST=@PYTEST@
+
+#
+# Interpreters for system tests detected by configure
+#
+export PERL=$(command -v "@PERL@" || true)
+if ! test -x "$PERL"; then
+    echo "Perl interpreter is required for system tests."
+    exit 77
+fi
+export PYTHON=$(command -v "@PYTHON@" || true)
+if ! test -x "$PYTHON"; then
+    echo "Python interpreter is required for system tests."
+    exit 77
+fi
+
 # Load common values
 . $TOP_SRCDIR/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.common
 
@@ -98,24 +123,3 @@ tcp"
 PARALLELDIRS="$PARALLEL_COMMON $PARALLEL_UNIX"
 
 SUBDIRS="$SEQUENTIALDIRS $PARALLELDIRS"
-
-# Use the CONFIG_SHELL detected by configure for tests
-export SHELL=@SHELL@
-
-# CURL will be empty if no program was found by configure
-export CURL=@CURL@
-
-# NC will be empty if no program was found by configure
-export NC=@NC@
-
-# XMLLINT will be empty if no program was found by configure
-export XMLLINT=@XMLLINT@
-
-# XSLTPROC will be empty if no program was found by configure
-export XSLTPROC=@XSLTPROC@
-
-# PERL will be an empty string if no perl interpreter was found.
-export PERL=$(command -v "@PERL@")
-
-export PYTHON=$(command -v "@PYTHON@" || true)
-export PYTEST=@PYTEST@
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/testcrypto.sh b/bin/tests/system/testcrypto.sh
index 72237777d9..2be22f3652 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/testcrypto.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/testcrypto.sh
@@ -11,22 +11,27 @@
 # See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
 # information regarding copyright ownership.
 
+prog=$0
+args=""
+quiet=0
+msg="cryptography"
+
 if test -z "$KEYGEN"; then
     . ../conf.sh
     alg="-a $DEFAULT_ALGORITHM -b $DEFAULT_BITS"
 else
     alg=""
+    quiet=1
+    args="-q"
 fi
 
-prog=$0
-args=""
-quiet=0
-msg="cryptography"
 while test "$#" -gt 0; do
     case $1 in
     -q)
-        args="$args -q"
-        quiet=1
+        if test $quiet -eq 0; then
+            args="$args -q"
+            quiet=1
+        fi
         ;;
     rsa|RSA|rsasha1|RSASHA1)
         alg="-a RSASHA1"