diff --git a/tests/functional/build-jobless.sh b/tests/functional/build-jobless.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 9bf850009..000000000
--- a/tests/functional/build-jobless.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-source common.sh
-
-drv='
-builtins.derivation {
-  name = "foo";
-  builder = /bin/sh;
-  system = builtins.currentSystem;
-  requiredSystemFeatures = [ "glitter" ];
-}
-'
-
-# -j0 without remote machines diagnoses build start failure
-! out="$(nix-build 2>&1 -j0 --expr "$drv" \
-    --builders '' \
-    --system-features 'glitter')"
-<<<"$out" grepQuiet 'error: unable to start any build; either set '\''--max-jobs'\'' to a non-zero value or enable remote builds.'
-
-# -j0 with remote machines and missing features also diagnoses
-! out="$(nix-build 2>&1 -j0 --expr "$drv" \
-    --builders "ssh://localhost?remote-store=$TEST_ROOT/machine1" \
-    --system-features 'glitter')"
-<<<"$out" grepQuiet 'error: unable to start any build; remote machines may not have all required system features.'
diff --git a/tests/functional/meson.build b/tests/functional/meson.build
index dbec7690b..c63b72e50 100644
--- a/tests/functional/meson.build
+++ b/tests/functional/meson.build
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ functional_tests_scripts = [
   'dependencies.sh',
   'check-reqs.sh',
   'build-remote-content-addressed-fixed.sh',
-  'build-jobless.sh',
   'nar-access.sh',
   'repl.sh',
   'binary-cache-build-remote.sh',
diff --git a/tests/functional2/build/test_build_jobless.py b/tests/functional2/build/test_build_jobless.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e972fde75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional2/build/test_build_jobless.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import pytest
+from testlib.fixtures.nix import Nix
+
+
+drv = """
+  builtins.derivation {
+    name = "foo";
+    builder = /bin/sh;
+    system = builtins.currentSystem;
+    requiredSystemFeatures = [ "glitter" ];
+  }
+"""
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def set_features(nix: Nix):
+    nix.settings.system_features = "glitter"
+
+
+def test_j0_without_remotes_fails(nix: Nix):
+    result = nix.nix_build(["-j0", "--expr", drv, "--builders", ""]).run().expect(1)
+    assert (
+        "error: unable to start any build; either set '--max-jobs' to a non-zero value or enable remote builds."
+        in result.stderr_s
+    )
+
+
+def test_j0_with_mismatched_remotes_fails(nix: Nix):
+    remote = f"ssh://localhost?remote-store={nix.env.dirs.home}/machine1"
+    result = nix.nix_build(["-j0", "--expr", drv, "--builders", remote]).run().expect(1)
+    assert (
+        "error: unable to start any build; remote machines may not have all required system features."
+        in result.stderr_s
+    )