diff --git a/tests/data/test1085 b/tests/data/test1085
index 80b53c2135deb1baf115d84376ccd9e497df5225..04d5e2885929d30928ac38edbb22eb13e3e8e85a 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1085
+++ b/tests/data/test1085
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ HTTP-IPv6 GET with invalid --interface
  <command>
 -g "http://%HOST6IP:%HTTP6PORT/1085" --interface non-existing-host.haxx.se.
 </command>
+# Ensure the IPv6 stack is operational before running this test (other tests
+# use the startup of the IPv6 test server as a substitute check for this).
+<precheck>
+./server/resolve --ipv6 ::1
+</precheck>
 </client>
 
 #