diff --git a/rpcserver_test.go b/rpcserver_test.go
index 98c606e4..a0496daf 100644
--- a/rpcserver_test.go
+++ b/rpcserver_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
+// This file is ignored during the regular tests due to the following build tag.
+// +build rpctest
+
 package main
 
 import (
diff --git a/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go b/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
index 993e2fe4..34238329 100644
--- a/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
+++ b/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2017 The Decred developers
 // Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// This file is ignored during the regular tests due to the following build tag.
+// +build rpctest
+
 package rpctest
 
 import (
diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
index 25f5b16e..6ff55b14 100755
--- a/run_tests.sh
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ TESTCMD="test -z \"\$(gometalinter --disable-all \
   --enable=unconvert \
   --vendor \
   --deadline=10m . | tee /dev/stderr)\"&& \
-  env GORACE='halt_on_error=1' go test -short -race \$(glide novendor)"
+  env GORACE='halt_on_error=1' go test -short -race \
+  -tags rpctest \
+  \$(glide novendor)"
 
 if [ $GOVERSION == "local" ]; then
     eval $TESTCMD