diff --git a/modules/core/test/test_misc.cpp b/modules/core/test/test_misc.cpp
index 8ed0afe771..53d7585277 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/test_misc.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/test/test_misc.cpp
@@ -917,5 +917,17 @@ REGISTER_TYPED_TEST_CASE_P(Rect_Test, Overflows);
 typedef ::testing::Types<int, float, double> RectTypes;
 INSTANTIATE_TYPED_TEST_CASE_P(Negative_Test, Rect_Test, RectTypes);
 
+// Expected that SkipTestException thrown in the constructor should skip test but not fail
+struct TestFixtureSkip: public ::testing::Test {
+    TestFixtureSkip(bool throwEx = true) {
+        if (throwEx) {
+            throw SkipTestException("Skip test at constructor");
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+TEST_F(TestFixtureSkip, NoBodyRun) {
+    FAIL() << "Unreachable code called";
+}
 
 }} // namespace
diff --git a/modules/python/test/tests_common.py b/modules/python/test/tests_common.py
index ec49f46d0d..d673dd7b78 100644
--- a/modules/python/test/tests_common.py
+++ b/modules/python/test/tests_common.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class NewOpenCVTests(unittest.TestCase):
                     return candidate
         if required:
             self.fail('File ' + filename + ' not found')
+        else:
+            self.skipTest('File ' + filename + ' not found')
         return None
 
 
diff --git a/modules/ts/include/opencv2/ts/ts_ext.hpp b/modules/ts/include/opencv2/ts/ts_ext.hpp
index efa4860510..8395f31a4c 100644
--- a/modules/ts/include/opencv2/ts/ts_ext.hpp
+++ b/modules/ts/include/opencv2/ts/ts_ext.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@ bool checkBigDataTests();
        } \
     } \
 
+struct SkipThisTest : public ::testing::Test {
+  SkipThisTest(const std::string& msg_) : msg(msg_) {}
+
+  virtual void TestBody() CV_OVERRIDE {
+      printf("[     SKIP ] %s\n", msg.c_str());
+  }
+
+  std::string msg;
+};
 
 #undef TEST
 #define TEST_(test_case_name, test_name, parent_class, bodyMethodName, BODY_ATTR, BODY_IMPL) \
@@ -60,6 +69,16 @@ bool checkBigDataTests();
       GTEST_DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN_(\
           GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name));\
     };\
+    class test_case_name##test_name##_factory : public ::testing::internal::TestFactoryBase { \
+     public:\
+      virtual ::testing::Test* CreateTest() { \
+        try { \
+          return new GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name); \
+        } catch (const cvtest::details::SkipTestExceptionBase& e) { \
+          return new SkipThisTest(e.what()); \
+        } \
+      } \
+    };\
     \
     ::testing::TestInfo* const GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name)\
       ::test_info_ =\
@@ -69,8 +88,7 @@ bool checkBigDataTests();
             (::testing::internal::GetTestTypeId()), \
             parent_class::SetUpTestCase, \
             parent_class::TearDownTestCase, \
-            new ::testing::internal::TestFactoryImpl<\
-                GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name)>);\
+            new test_case_name##test_name##_factory);\
     void GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name)::TestBody() BODY_IMPL( #test_case_name "_" #test_name ) \
     void GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_case_name, test_name)::bodyMethodName()
 
@@ -113,6 +131,16 @@ bool checkBigDataTests();
       GTEST_DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN_(\
           GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name));\
     };\
+    class test_fixture##test_name##_factory : public ::testing::internal::TestFactoryBase { \
+     public:\
+      virtual ::testing::Test* CreateTest() { \
+        try { \
+          return new GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name); \
+        } catch (const cvtest::details::SkipTestExceptionBase& e) { \
+          return new SkipThisTest(e.what()); \
+        } \
+      } \
+    };\
     \
     ::testing::TestInfo* const GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name)\
       ::test_info_ =\
@@ -122,8 +150,7 @@ bool checkBigDataTests();
             (::testing::internal::GetTypeId<test_fixture>()), \
             test_fixture::SetUpTestCase, \
             test_fixture::TearDownTestCase, \
-            new ::testing::internal::TestFactoryImpl<\
-                GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name)>);\
+            new test_fixture##test_name##_factory);\
     void GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name)::TestBody() CV__TEST_BODY_IMPL( #test_fixture "_" #test_name ) \
     void GTEST_TEST_CLASS_NAME_(test_fixture, test_name)::Body()