diff --git a/tests/reverse/correctness_test.go b/tests/reverse/correctness_test.go
index bebf341..bfbab3d 100644
--- a/tests/reverse/correctness_test.go
+++ b/tests/reverse/correctness_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ func TestSymlinks(t *testing.T) {
 // Symbolic link dentry sizes should be set to the length of the string
 // that contains the target path.
 func TestSymlinkDentrySize(t *testing.T) {
+	if plaintextnames {
+		t.Skip("this only tests encrypted names")
+	}
 	symlink := "a_symlink"
 
 	mnt, err := ioutil.TempDir(test_helpers.TmpDir, "reverse_mnt_")
@@ -108,7 +111,7 @@ func TestConfigMapping(t *testing.T) {
 // Check that the access() syscall works on virtual files
 func TestAccessVirtual(t *testing.T) {
 	if plaintextnames {
-		t.Skip()
+		t.Skip("test makes no sense for plaintextnames")
 	}
 	var R_OK uint32 = 4
 	var W_OK uint32 = 2
diff --git a/tests/reverse/ctlsock_test.go b/tests/reverse/ctlsock_test.go
index 8a7d462..c3ee121 100644
--- a/tests/reverse/ctlsock_test.go
+++ b/tests/reverse/ctlsock_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ var ctlSockTestCases = [][]string{
 
 // Test DecryptPath and EncryptPath
 func TestCtlSockPathOps(t *testing.T) {
+	if plaintextnames {
+		t.Skip("this only tests encrypted names")
+	}
 	mnt, err := ioutil.TempDir(test_helpers.TmpDir, "reverse_mnt_")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -54,6 +57,9 @@ func TestCtlSockPathOps(t *testing.T) {
 
 // We should not panic when somebody feeds requests that make no sense
 func TestCtlSockCrash(t *testing.T) {
+	if plaintextnames {
+		t.Skip("this only tests encrypted names")
+	}
 	mnt, err := ioutil.TempDir(test_helpers.TmpDir, "reverse_mnt_")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)