diff --git a/tests/run-tests.py b/tests/run-tests.py
--- a/tests/run-tests.py
+++ b/tests/run-tests.py
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ class Test(unittest.TestCase):
                 missing, failed = TTest.parsehghaveoutput(out)
 
             if not missing:
-                missing = ['irrelevant']
+                missing = ['skipped']
 
             if failed:
                 self.fail('hg have failed checking for %s' % failed[-1])
diff --git a/tests/test-run-tests.t b/tests/test-run-tests.t
--- a/tests/test-run-tests.t
+++ b/tests/test-run-tests.t
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ Skips
   > EOF
   $ $TESTDIR/run-tests.py --with-hg=`which hg` --nodiff
   !.s
-  Skipped test-skip.t: irrelevant
+  Skipped test-skip.t: skipped
   Failed test-failure.t: output changed
   # Ran 2 tests, 1 skipped, 0 warned, 1 failed.
   python hash seed: * (glob)
@@ -333,14 +333,14 @@ Skips
 
   $ $TESTDIR/run-tests.py --with-hg=`which hg` --keyword xyzzy
   .s
-  Skipped test-skip.t: irrelevant
+  Skipped test-skip.t: skipped
   # Ran 2 tests, 2 skipped, 0 warned, 0 failed.
 
 Skips with xml
   $ $TESTDIR/run-tests.py --with-hg=`which hg` --keyword xyzzy \
   >  --xunit=xunit.xml
   .s
-  Skipped test-skip.t: irrelevant
+  Skipped test-skip.t: skipped
   # Ran 2 tests, 2 skipped, 0 warned, 0 failed.
   $ cat xunit.xml
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>