diff --git a/src/ipahealthcheck/dogtag/ca.py b/src/ipahealthcheck/dogtag/ca.py
index 868876f1..b0a9ea13 100644
--- a/src/ipahealthcheck/dogtag/ca.py
+++ b/src/ipahealthcheck/dogtag/ca.py
@@ -122,8 +122,21 @@ def check(self):
         found = False
         for cert in certs:
             if DN(cert.subject) == ipa_subject:
-                found = True
-                break
+                if DN(cert.issuer) != ipa_subject:
+                    # We found the CA cert but it was issued by an external
+                    # CA so we can't check it by serial number.
+                    yield Result(self, constants.SUCCESS,
+                                 key='cert_show_1',
+                                 subject=str(ipa_subject),
+                                 issuer=str(DN(cert.issuer)),
+                                 path=paths.IPA_CA_CRT,
+                                 msg='The CA certificate was externally '
+                                     'signed by {issuer}. Skipping '
+                                     'serial number check.')
+                    return
+                else:
+                    found = True
+                    break
 
         if not found:
             yield Result(self, constants.ERROR,
diff --git a/tests/test_dogtag_connectivity.py b/tests/test_dogtag_connectivity.py
index d81e5988..4e6b7309 100644
--- a/tests/test_dogtag_connectivity.py
+++ b/tests/test_dogtag_connectivity.py
@@ -16,11 +16,21 @@
 from ipapython.dn import DN
 
 
+default_subject_base = [{
+    'result':
+        {
+            'ipacertificatesubjectbase': [f'O={m_api.env.realm}'],
+        },
+}]
+
+
 class IPACertificate:
     def __init__(self, serial_number=1,
-                 subject='CN=Certificate Authority, O=%s' % m_api.env.realm):
+                 subject='CN=Certificate Authority, O=%s' % m_api.env.realm,
+                 issuer='CN=Certificate Authority, O=%s' % m_api.env.realm):
         self.serial_number = serial_number
         self.subject = subject
+        self.issuer = issuer
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return self.serial_number == other.serial_number
@@ -279,3 +289,32 @@ def test_ca_connection_not_found(self, mock_load_cert, mock_ca_subject):
         assert result.kw['msg'] == (
             'The CA certificate with subject {subject} was not found in {path}'
         )
+
+    @patch('ipalib.x509.load_certificate_list_from_file')
+    @patch('ipaserver.install.ca.lookup_ca_subject')
+    def test_cacert_external(self, mock_ca_subject, mock_load_cert):
+        """Nothing to check if the master is CALess"""
+
+        ipa_subject = DN(('cn', 'Certificate Authority'),
+                         f'O={m_api.env.realm}')
+        mock_ca_subject.return_value = ipa_subject
+        m_api.Command.config_show.side_effect = default_subject_base
+
+        mock_load_cert.return_value = [
+            IPACertificate(1, 'CN=External Root', 'CN=External Root'),
+            IPACertificate(2, 'CN=External Root', 'CN=External CA'),
+            IPACertificate(3, ipa_subject, 'CN=External CA')
+        ]
+
+        framework = object()
+        registry.initialize(framework, config)
+        f = DogtagCertsConnectivityCheck(registry)
+
+        self.results = capture_results(f)
+
+        assert len(self.results) == 1
+        result = self.results.results[0]
+
+        assert result.result == constants.SUCCESS
+        assert result.source == 'ipahealthcheck.dogtag.ca'
+        assert result.check == 'DogtagCertsConnectivityCheck'