diff --git a/.github/workflows/http3-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/http3-linux.yml
index 440903bf8d..732ca11550 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/http3-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/http3-linux.yml
@@ -695,7 +695,9 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') }}
         run: |
           python3 -m venv ~/venv
-          ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          if bld/src/curl --disable -V 2>/dev/null | grep smb; then
+            ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          fi
 
       - name: 'run tests'
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/linux.yml b/.github/workflows/linux.yml
index 1c141ba882..0d9acf86bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linux.yml
@@ -851,7 +851,9 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') && matrix.build.container == null }}
         run: |
           python3 -m venv ~/venv
-          ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          if bld/src/curl --disable -V 2>/dev/null | grep smb; then
+            ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          fi
 
       - name: 'run tests'
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index d8f827e72a..24271b6877 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -485,7 +485,9 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') }}
         run: |
           python3 -m venv ~/venv
-          ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          if bld/src/curl --disable -V 2>/dev/null | grep smb; then
+            ~/venv/bin/pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          fi
 
       - name: 'run tests'
         if: ${{ !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skipall') && !contains(matrix.build.install_steps, 'skiprun') }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index 44ac46ad29..43f877a228 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -633,7 +633,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: 'install test prereqs'
         if: ${{ matrix.tflags != 'skipall' && matrix.tflags != 'skiprun' }}
         timeout-minutes: 2
-        run: python3 -m pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+        run: |
+          if "bld/src/curl.exe" --disable -V 2>/dev/null | grep smb; then
+            python3 -m pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
+          fi
 
       - name: 'run tests'
         if: ${{ matrix.tflags != 'skipall' && matrix.tflags != 'skiprun' }}
@@ -851,9 +854,11 @@ jobs:
             image: 'windows-11-arm'
             openssh: 'OpenSSH-Windows'
             tflags: '--min=1650'
+            # disable SMB to save 30-60 seconds by omitting prereqs, to counteract the slower test run step
             config: >-
               -DENABLE_DEBUG=ON
               -DCURL_USE_SCHANNEL=ON
+              -DCURL_DISABLE_SMB=ON
               -DUSE_WIN32_IDN=ON -DENABLE_UNICODE=ON -DUSE_SSLS_EXPORT=ON
 
       fail-fast: false
@@ -1029,7 +1034,7 @@ jobs:
               --location "https://github.com/PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH/releases/download/${OPENSSH_WINDOWS_VERSION}/OpenSSH-Win64.zip" --output pkg.bin
             sha256sum pkg.bin && sha256sum pkg.bin | grep -qwF -- "${OPENSSH_WINDOWS_SHA256}" && unzip pkg.bin && rm -f pkg.bin
           fi
-          if [ "${MATRIX_IMAGE}" != 'windows-11-arm' ]; then  # save 30-60 seconds, to counteract the slower test run step
+          if "bld/src/${MATRIX_TYPE}/curl.exe" --disable -V 2>/dev/null | grep smb; then
             python3 -m pip --disable-pip-version-check --no-input --no-cache-dir install --progress-bar off --prefer-binary -r tests/requirements.txt
           fi