diff --git a/example/eigen.py b/example/eigen.py
index 7ff9aed5d..8ab35efcf 100644
--- a/example/eigen.py
+++ b/example/eigen.py
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ from example import sparse_r, sparse_c
 from example import sparse_passthrough_r, sparse_passthrough_c
 from example import double_row, double_col
 from example import double_mat_cm, double_mat_rm
-import numpy as np
+try:
+    import numpy as np
+except ImportError:
+    # NumPy missing: skip test
+    exit(99)
 
 ref = np.array(
     [[0, 3, 0, 0, 0, 11],
diff --git a/example/example10.py b/example/example10.py
index b18e729a6..e21c1a5f7 100755
--- a/example/example10.py
+++ b/example/example10.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import example
 try:
     import numpy as np
 except ImportError:
-    print('NumPy missing')
-    exit(0)
+    # NumPy missing: skip test
+    exit(99)
 
 from example import vectorized_func
 from example import vectorized_func2
diff --git a/example/example7.py b/example/example7.py
index 62d330174..48eda27bd 100755
--- a/example/example7.py
+++ b/example/example7.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ from example import Matrix
 try:
     import numpy as np
 except ImportError:
-    print('NumPy missing')
-    exit(0)
+    # NumPy missing: skip test
+    exit(99)
 
 m = Matrix(5, 5)
 
diff --git a/example/run_test.py b/example/run_test.py
index c31ea0989..90fec0675 100755
--- a/example/run_test.py
+++ b/example/run_test.py
@@ -52,16 +52,20 @@ if len(sys.argv) == 3 and sys.argv[1] == '--relaxed':
     relaxed = True
 
 name = sys.argv[1]
-output_bytes = subprocess.check_output([sys.executable, name + ".py"],
-                                       stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+try:
+    output_bytes = subprocess.check_output([sys.executable, name + ".py"],
+                                           stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+    if e.returncode == 99:
+        print('Test "%s" could not be run.' % name)
+        exit(0)
+    else:
+        raise
 
 output    = sanitize(output_bytes.decode('utf-8'))
 reference = sanitize(open(name + '.ref', 'r').read())
 
-if 'NumPy missing' in output:
-    print('Test "%s" could not be run.' % name)
-    exit(0)
-elif output == reference:
+if output == reference:
     print('Test "%s" succeeded.' % name)
     exit(0)
 else: