diff --git a/tests/run-base.R b/tests/run-base.R
index 848e007a4f..08a8b6a692 100644
--- a/tests/run-base.R
+++ b/tests/run-base.R
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 library(testthat)
-test_check("mlr", filter = "base")
+test_check("mlr", filter = "base_")
diff --git a/tests/run-basenocran.R b/tests/run-basenocran.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73229d4c10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run-basenocran.R
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+library(testthat)
+if (identical(Sys.getenv("TRAVIS"), "true") || identical(Sys.getenv("R_EXPENSIVE_TEST_OK"), "true")) {
+  test_check("mlr", filter = "basenocran_")
+}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test_base_batchmark.R b/tests/testthat/test_basenocran_batchmark.R
similarity index 98%
rename from tests/testthat/test_base_batchmark.R
rename to tests/testthat/test_basenocran_batchmark.R
index 95b45b985d..9d3a838001 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test_base_batchmark.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test_basenocran_batchmark.R
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# the whole unit tests currently breaks on CRAN due to a problem with datatable on WB / rdevel
+# see PR here:
+# https://github.com/mlr-org/mlr/pull/2210
+
 context("batchmark")
 
 prev = getOption("batchtools.verbose")