diff --git a/tests/asm/default.nix b/tests/asm/default.nix
index 1fb5c6c19..138a5ccb5 100644
--- a/tests/asm/default.nix
+++ b/tests/asm/default.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ let
 
       src = sourcePath;
 
+      patches = [ ./mcycle.patch ];
+
       passthru.featuresRequired = getTestRequiredFeatures sourcePath;
       isFp = lib.pathExists (lib.path.append sourcePath "isFp");
 
diff --git a/tests/asm/mcycle.patch b/tests/asm/mcycle.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5f8b2d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/asm/mcycle.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+diff --git a/smoke.S b/smoke.S
+index 57e517f8..7c458acf 100644
+--- a/smoke.S
++++ b/smoke.S
+@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ loop:
+     addi a2, a2, -1
+     bnez a2, add_test
+ 
+-    # read cycles
+-    csrr t0, mcycle
+-
+     ret
+ 
+ will_not_be_executed: