diff --git a/test/unit/renderer/cairo_io.cpp b/test/unit/renderer/cairo_io.cpp
index c3b739404..4f95f0d49 100644
--- a/test/unit/renderer/cairo_io.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/renderer/cairo_io.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ MAPNIK_DISABLE_WARNING_POP
 #include <fstream>
 
 #if defined(HAVE_CAIRO)
+#include <cairo-version.h>
+
+// see https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/cairo/cairo/-/issues/553
+// TLDR: cairo has removed the writing of the svg version in cairo 1.17.6
+#if (CAIRO_VERSION_MAJOR <= 1) && (CAIRO_VERSION_MINOR <= 17) && (CAIRO_VERSION_MICRO < 6)
 TEST_CASE("cairo_io")
 {
     SECTION("save_to_cairo_file - SVG")
@@ -33,3 +38,4 @@ TEST_CASE("cairo_io")
     }
 }
 #endif
+#endif