diff --git a/kernel/trunk/runtests.py b/kernel/trunk/runtests.py
index c1adac54db..58bee49fae 100755
--- a/kernel/trunk/runtests.py
+++ b/kernel/trunk/runtests.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import subprocess
 from threading import Thread
 import filecmp
 import traceback
+import shlex
 
 sys.path.append('test')
 import common
@@ -24,6 +25,11 @@ def log(s, end="\n"):
     print(s, end=end, flush=True)
 
 
+def check_retcode(command):
+    popen = subprocess.Popen(shlex.split(command))
+    return popen.wait()
+
+
 def execute(s, mute=False):
     mute = ">/dev/null" if mute else ""
     code = os.system(f"{s}{mute}")
@@ -115,6 +121,8 @@ def prepare_test_img():
     # Get test kernel
     if not os.path.exists("kernel.mnt.pretest"):
         if len(sys.argv) == 1:
+            if check_retcode("tup dbconfig") != 0:
+                execute("tup init")
             execute("tup kernel.mnt.pretest")
         else:
             builds_eng = sys.argv[1]