diff --git a/014 b/014
index a2be25a8..a0c04031 100755
--- a/014
+++ b/014
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ _cleanup()
 _supported_fs generic
 _supported_os IRIX Linux
 
+_require_sparse_files
 _setup_testdir
 
 echo "brevity is wit..."
diff --git a/129 b/129
index c9f11d64..38f12a6e 100755
--- a/129
+++ b/129
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ echo_and_run()
 _supported_fs generic
 _supported_os Linux
 
-_setup_testdir
 _require_scratch
+_require_sparse_files
+
+_setup_testdir
 
 _scratch_mkfs >/dev/null 2>&1
 _scratch_mount "-o nosuid"
diff --git a/130 b/130
index 21582ea4..ea5270dc 100755
--- a/130
+++ b/130
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ _cleanup()
 _supported_fs generic
 _supported_os Linux IRIX
 
-_setup_testdir
 _require_scratch
+_require_sparse_files
+
+_setup_testdir
 
 _scratch_mkfs >/dev/null 2>&1
 _scratch_mount
diff --git a/239 b/239
index 1e3489fa..88ff776a 100755
--- a/239
+++ b/239
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ _cleanup()
 _supported_fs generic
 _supported_os Linux
 
+_require_sparse_files
+
 AIO_TEST=src/aio-dio-regress/aio-dio-hole-filling-race
 [ -x $AIO_TEST ] || _notrun "$AIO_TEST not built"
 
diff --git a/240 b/240
index 67e458a3..05485361 100755
--- a/240
+++ b/240
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ _cleanup()
 _supported_fs generic
 _supported_os Linux
 
+_require_sparse_files
+
 echo "Silence is golden."
 
 # real QA test starts here
diff --git a/common.rc b/common.rc
index b3bb65c6..760b883e 100644
--- a/common.rc
+++ b/common.rc
@@ -857,6 +857,22 @@ _require_fs_space()
 		_notrun "This test requires at least ${GB}GB free on $MNT to run"
 }
 
+#
+# Check if the filesystem supports sparse files.
+#
+# Unfortunately there is no better way to do this than a manual black list.
+#
+_require_sparse_files()
+{
+    case $FSTYP in
+    hfsplus)
+        _notrun "Sparse files not supported by this filesystem type: $FSTYP"
+	;;
+    *)
+        ;;
+    esac
+}
+
 # check that a FS on a device is mounted
 # if so, return mount point
 #