diff --git a/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py b/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
index c17abcf3932..f7c2abb464d 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
+import json
 import os
 
 from lib.constants import (
@@ -10,14 +11,21 @@ from lib.constants import (
 
 from lib.util import (
     common_environment,
+    display,
+    find_python,
+    run_command,
     ApplicationError,
 )
 
 from lib.config import (
     IntegrationConfig,
+    EnvironmentConfig,
 )
 
 
+CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS = {}
+
+
 def ansible_environment(args, color=True, ansible_config=None):
     """
     :type args: CommonConfig
@@ -65,3 +73,28 @@ def ansible_environment(args, color=True, ansible_config=None):
         ))
 
     return env
+
+
+def check_pyyaml(args, version):
+    """
+    :type args: EnvironmentConfig
+    :type version: str
+    """
+    if version in CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS:
+        return
+
+    python = find_python(version)
+    stdout, _dummy = run_command(args, [python, 'test/runner/yamlcheck.py'], capture=True)
+
+    if args.explain:
+        return
+
+    CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS[version] = result = json.loads(stdout)
+
+    yaml = result['yaml']
+    cloader = result['cloader']
+
+    if not yaml:
+        display.warning('PyYAML is not installed for interpreter: %s' % python)
+    elif not cloader:
+        display.warning('PyYAML will be slow due to installation without libyaml support for interpreter: %s' % python)
diff --git a/test/runner/lib/executor.py b/test/runner/lib/executor.py
index c3944301134..619f1b554c5 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/executor.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/executor.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ from lib.docker_util import (
 
 from lib.ansible_util import (
     ansible_environment,
+    check_pyyaml,
 )
 
 from lib.target import (
@@ -804,6 +805,8 @@ def command_integration_filtered(args, targets, all_targets, inventory_path, pre
     if setup_errors:
         raise ApplicationError('Found %d invalid setup aliases:\n%s' % (len(setup_errors), '\n'.join(setup_errors)))
 
+    check_pyyaml(args, args.python_version)
+
     test_dir = os.path.expanduser('~/ansible_testing')
 
     if not args.explain and any('needs/ssh/' in target.aliases for target in targets):
@@ -1347,6 +1350,8 @@ def command_units(args):
         sys.exit()
 
     for version, command, env in version_commands:
+        check_pyyaml(args, version)
+
         display.info('Unit test with Python %s' % version)
 
         try:
diff --git a/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py b/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
index 420eb7e1ee6..00836f90092 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from lib.util import (
 
 from lib.ansible_util import (
     ansible_environment,
+    check_pyyaml,
 )
 
 from lib.target import (
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@ def command_sanity(args):
             if args.python and version and version != args.python_version:
                 continue
 
+            check_pyyaml(args, version or args.python_version)
+
             display.info('Sanity check using %s%s' % (test.name, ' with Python %s' % version if version else ''))
 
             options = ''
diff --git a/test/runner/yamlcheck.py b/test/runner/yamlcheck.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..9e9ddd451a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runner/yamlcheck.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""Show python and pip versions."""
+
+import json
+
+try:
+    import yaml
+except ImportError:
+    yaml = None
+
+try:
+    from yaml import CLoader
+except ImportError:
+    CLoader = None
+
+print(json.dumps(dict(
+    yaml=bool(yaml),
+    cloader=bool(CLoader),
+)))