diff --git a/test/libc/calls/getprogramexecutablename_test.c b/test/libc/calls/getprogramexecutablename_test.c
index aa5d51a32b00..d6255960fce4 100644
--- a/test/libc/calls/getprogramexecutablename_test.c
+++ b/test/libc/calls/getprogramexecutablename_test.c
@@ -29,23 +29,37 @@
 
 static char *self;
 
-void SetUp(void) {
-  self = GetProgramExecutableName();
-}
-
 void SetUpOnce(void) {
+  self = GetProgramExecutableName();
   testlib_enable_tmp_setup_teardown();
 }
 
 __attribute__((__constructor__)) static void Child(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+  static bool skiparg0tests;
+  if (!__program_executable_name && !IsFreebsd() && !IsNetbsd()) {
+    if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "ChildInit")) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "warning: old/no loader; skipping argv[0] tests\n");
+      exit(0);
+    }
+    skiparg0tests = true;
+  }
   if (argc >= 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "Child")) {
     ASSERT_EQ(argc, 4);
     EXPECT_STREQ(argv[2], GetProgramExecutableName());
-    EXPECT_STREQ(argv[3], argv[0]);
+    if (!skiparg0tests) {
+      EXPECT_STREQ(argv[3], argv[0]);
+    }
     exit(g_testlib_failed);
   }
 }
 
+TEST(GetProgramExecutableName, printWarning) {
+  SPAWN(fork);
+  execve(self, (char *[]){self, "ChildInit", 0}, (char *[]){0});
+  abort();
+  EXITS(0);
+}
+
 TEST(GetProgramExecutableName, ofThisFile) {
   EXPECT_EQ('/', *self);
   EXPECT_TRUE(