diff --git a/include/aws/common/allocator.h b/include/aws/common/allocator.h
index 3d5b441e9..ad5a07cd6 100644
--- a/include/aws/common/allocator.h
+++ b/include/aws/common/allocator.h
@@ -116,10 +116,6 @@ enum aws_mem_trace_level {
     AWS_MEMTRACE_STACKS = 2, /* capture callstacks for each allocation */
 };
 
-#if defined(AWS_HAVE_EXECINFO) || defined(WIN32) || defined(__APPLE__)
-#    define AWS_MEMTRACE_STACKS_AVAILABLE
-#endif
-
 /*
  * Wraps an allocator and tracks all external allocations. If aws_mem_trace_dump() is called
  * and there are still allocations active, they will be reported to the aws_logger at TRACE level.
diff --git a/tests/memtrace_test.c b/tests/memtrace_test.c
index 3a1dd5d2c..541ac2c72 100644
--- a/tests/memtrace_test.c
+++ b/tests/memtrace_test.c
@@ -93,9 +93,12 @@ static struct aws_logger s_test_logger;
 
 static int s_test_memtrace_stacks(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *ctx) {
     (void)ctx;
-#if !defined(AWS_MEMTRACE_STACKS_AVAILABLE)
-    return 0;
-#endif
+
+    /* only bother to run this test if the platform can do a backtrace */
+    void *probe_stack[1];
+    if (!aws_backtrace(probe_stack, 1)) {
+        return 0;
+    }
 
     test_logger_init(&s_test_logger, allocator, AWS_LL_TRACE, 0);
     aws_logger_set(&s_test_logger);