diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/kprobe/kprobe_args_syntax.tc b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/kprobe/kprobe_args_syntax.tc
index 231bcd2c4eb5..1e7ac6f3362f 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/kprobe/kprobe_args_syntax.tc
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ftrace/test.d/kprobe/kprobe_args_syntax.tc
@@ -71,8 +71,11 @@ test_badarg "\$stackp" "\$stack0+10" "\$stack1-10"
 echo "r ${PROBEFUNC} \$retval" > kprobe_events
 ! echo "p ${PROBEFUNC} \$retval" > kprobe_events
 
+# $comm was introduced in 4.8, older kernels reject it.
+if grep -A1 "fetcharg:" README | grep -q '\$comm' ; then
 : "Comm access"
 test_goodarg "\$comm"
+fi
 
 : "Indirect memory access"
 test_goodarg "+0(${GOODREG})" "-0(${GOODREG})" "+10(\$stack)" \