diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
index 427cff31547..b00ddd5f2fc 100755
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
@@ -395,11 +395,6 @@ sub main {
 
   executable_setup();
 
-  if (!$opt_suites) {
-    $opt_suites= join ',', collect_default_suites(@DEFAULT_SUITES);
-  }
-  mtr_report("Using suites: $opt_suites") unless @opt_cases;
-
   # --debug[-common] implies we run debug server
   $opt_debug_server= 1 if $opt_debug || $opt_debug_common;
 
@@ -412,16 +407,22 @@ sub main {
   {
     # Run the mysqld to find out what features are available
     collect_mysqld_features();
-    mysql_install_db(default_mysqld(), "$opt_vardir/install.db");
   }
   check_ndbcluster_support();
   check_ssl_support();
   check_debug_support();
 
+  if (!$opt_suites) {
+    $opt_suites= join ',', collect_default_suites(@DEFAULT_SUITES);
+  }
+  mtr_report("Using suites: $opt_suites") unless @opt_cases;
+
   mtr_report("Collecting tests...");
   my $tests= collect_test_cases($opt_reorder, $opt_suites, \@opt_cases, \@opt_skip_test_list);
   mark_time_used('collect');
 
+  mysql_install_db(default_mysqld(), "$opt_vardir/install.db") unless using_extern();
+
   if ($opt_dry_run)
   {
     for (@$tests) {