diff --git a/tests/Makefile.common b/tests/Makefile.common
index 74a3c5a7a9..a8bb19c4f1 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.common
+++ b/tests/Makefile.common
@@ -157,11 +157,14 @@ $($(1)-sysobjs): $(testobj)/$(1)/%.o: $$$$*.c $$($(1)-config-file)
 
 # Link against Cmocka if not disabled
 ifeq ($(strip $(filter-out 0 n no,$($(1)-no_test_framework))),)
+ifneq ($(USE_SYSTEM_CMOCKA),)
 $($(1)-objs): TEST_CFLAGS += -I$(cmockasrc)/include
-$($(1)-bin): TEST_LDFLAGS += -L$(cmockaobj)/src -lcmocka -Wl,-rpath=$(cmockaobj)/src
+$($(1)-bin): TEST_LDFLAGS += -L$(cmockaobj)/src -Wl,-rpath=$(cmockaobj)/src
 $($(1)-bin): TEST_CFLAGS += -I$(cmockasrc)/include
 $($(1)-bin): $(CMOCKA_LIB)
 endif
+$($(1)-bin): TEST_LDFLAGS += -lcmocka
+endif
 
 $($(1)-bin): $($(1)-objs) $($(1)-sysobjs)
 	$(HOSTCC) $$^ $($(1)-cflags) $$(TEST_LDFLAGS) -o $$@
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.mk b/tests/Makefile.mk
index f838f8336b..f3f122dd38 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.mk
+++ b/tests/Makefile.mk
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ TEST_CFLAGS += --coverage
 TEST_LDFLAGS += --coverage
 endif
 
+# Use system cmoka in default, or build from 3rdparty source code if requested
+USE_SYSTEM_CMOCKA ?= 1
+ifeq ($(USE_SYSTEM_CMOCKA),1)
+ifeq ($(shell $(HOSTPKG_CONFIG) --exists cmocka || echo 1),1)
+$(warning No system cmocka, build from 3rdparty instead...)
+USE_SYSTEM_CMOCKA=0
+endif
+endif
+
 stages := decompressor bootblock romstage smm verstage
 stages += ramstage rmodule postcar libagesa
 
@@ -186,6 +195,7 @@ help-unit-tests help::
 	@echo  '*** coreboot unit-tests targets ***'
 	@echo  '  Use "COV=1 make [target]" to enable code coverage for unit tests'
 	@echo  '  Use "GDB_DEBUG=1 make [target]" to build with debug symbols'
+	@echo  '  Use "USE_SYSTEM_CMOCKA=0 make [target]" to build Cmocka from source'
 	@echo  '  unit-tests            - Run all unit-tests from tests/'
 	@echo  '  clean-unit-tests      - Remove unit-tests build artifacts'
 	@echo  '  list-unit-tests       - List all unit-tests'