diff --git a/.travis.compiler.sh b/.travis.compiler.sh
index 155b3af2424f4..a6108545803ae 100755
--- a/.travis.compiler.sh
+++ b/.travis.compiler.sh
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ elif [[ "${TRAVIS_OS_NAME}" == 'linux' && "${CXX}" == 'g++' ]]; then
   export MYSQL_BUILD_CXX=g++-${GCC_VERSION};
   export MYSQL_BUILD_CC=gcc-${GCC_VERSION}
 fi
+# main.mysqlhotcopy_myisam consitently failed in travis containers
+# https://travis-ci.org/grooverdan/mariadb-server/builds/217661580
+echo 'main.mysqlhotcopy_myisam : unstable in containers' | tee -a debian/unstable-tests.amd64