diff --git a/src/build/configs/simics_axone.config b/src/build/configs/simics_axone.config
index 99e3900c3c0..3d044edcc07 100644
--- a/src/build/configs/simics_axone.config
+++ b/src/build/configs/simics_axone.config
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ unset MEMVPD_WRITE_TO_HW
 set MVPD_READ_FROM_PNOR
 set MVPD_WRITE_TO_PNOR
 
+#set to run cxx testcases during boot
+unset EARLY_TESTCASES
 
 #skip enabling checkstop analysis until OCC is ready in simics
 unset IPLTIME_CHECKSTOP_ANALYSIS
@@ -24,9 +26,6 @@ unset IPLTIME_CHECKSTOP_ANALYSIS
 #enable EEPROM caching
 set SUPPORT_EEPROM_CACHING
 
-#run cxx testcases during boot
-set EARLY_TESTCASES
-
 #Try to keep a list of things this does
 # - skipping setting voltages in istep 8.12, nothing on other side of AVSbus
 #   in simics currently.
diff --git a/src/makefile b/src/makefile
index c354622c14c..8dc48b9c470 100644
--- a/src/makefile
+++ b/src/makefile
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ TESTCASE_MODULES += $(if $(CONFIG_VPO_COMPILE),,testmdia)
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testpirformat
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testi2c
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testmbox
-TESTCASE_MODULES += $(if $(CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES),,testrtloader)
+TESTCASE_MODULES += $(if $(or $(CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES),${CONFIG_AXONE_BRING_UP}) ,,testrtloader)
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testsbe
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testsbeio
 TESTCASE_MODULES += testerrl
diff --git a/src/usr/runtime/test/makefile b/src/usr/runtime/test/makefile
index a5fec043df0..ec316244f9b 100644
--- a/src/usr/runtime/test/makefile
+++ b/src/usr/runtime/test/makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 # IBM_PROLOG_END_TAG
 ROOTPATH = ../../../..
 MODULE = testruntime
-TESTS += $(if $(CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES),,testpreverifiedlidmgr.H)
+TESTS += $(if $(or $(CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES),${CONFIG_AXONE_BRING_UP}) ,,testpreverifiedlidmgr.H)
 TESTS += test_checkHbResMemLimit.H
 #@TODO RTC 132750
 #TESTS += hdatservicetest.H
diff --git a/src/usr/xscom/test/xscomtest.H b/src/usr/xscom/test/xscomtest.H
index 2bb30ac12b1..a3d7076cea1 100644
--- a/src/usr/xscom/test/xscomtest.H
+++ b/src/usr/xscom/test/xscomtest.H
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ public:
         uint32_t l_num;
 
         do {
-#ifdef CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES
+#if defined(CONFIG_EARLY_TESTCASES) || defined(CONFIG_AXONE_BRING_UP)
             TS_TRACE("testXscom4: Skipping test, multicast groups not setup yet");
             break;
 #endif