diff --git a/lib/sli/sli-init.sli b/lib/sli/sli-init.sli
index 9e19f4b81c..72f9b32758 100644
--- a/lib/sli/sli-init.sli
+++ b/lib/sli/sli-init.sli
@@ -2239,6 +2239,7 @@ special prerequisites.
 SeeAlso: exit_test_gracefully
 */
 
+/skip_if_without_boost { statusdict/have_boost :: not { /skipped_no_boost exit_test_gracefully } if } def
 /skip_if_no_mpi { statusdict/is_mpi :: not { /skipped_no_mpi exit_test_gracefully } if } def
 /skip_if_have_mpi { statusdict/is_mpi :: { /skipped_have_mpi exit_test_gracefully } if } def
 /skip_if_not_threaded { is_threaded not { /skipped_no_threading exit_test_gracefully } if } def
diff --git a/models/iaf_bw_2001.cpp b/models/iaf_bw_2001.cpp
index 51e0d8341b..e030579183 100644
--- a/models/iaf_bw_2001.cpp
+++ b/models/iaf_bw_2001.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "iaf_bw_2001.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GSL
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
 
 // Includes from libnestutil:
 #include "dict_util.h"
@@ -521,4 +522,5 @@ nest::iaf_bw_2001::handle( CurrentEvent& e )
     e.get_rel_delivery_steps( kernel().simulation_manager.get_slice_origin() ), e.get_weight() * e.get_current() );
 }
 
+#endif // HAVE_BOOST
 #endif // HAVE_GSL
diff --git a/models/iaf_bw_2001.h b/models/iaf_bw_2001.h
index b334cd581f..f28ce10610 100644
--- a/models/iaf_bw_2001.h
+++ b/models/iaf_bw_2001.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GSL
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
 
 // C includes:
 #include <gsl/gsl_errno.h>
@@ -516,5 +517,6 @@ iaf_bw_2001::set_status( const DictionaryDatum& d )
 };
 } // namespace
 
+#endif // HAVE_BOOST
 #endif // HAVE_GSL
 #endif // IAF_BW_2001
diff --git a/sli/slistartup.cc b/sli/slistartup.cc
index 210676e390..61dcd706cb 100644
--- a/sli/slistartup.cc
+++ b/sli/slistartup.cc
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ SLIStartup::SLIStartup( int argc, char** argv )
   , ismpi_name( "is_mpi" )
   , have_gsl_name( "have_gsl" )
   , have_music_name( "have_music" )
+  , have_boost_name( "have_boost" )
   , have_libneurosim_name( "have_libneurosim" )
   , have_sionlib_name( "have_sionlib" )
   , have_hdf5_name( "have_hdf5" )
@@ -190,6 +191,7 @@ SLIStartup::SLIStartup( int argc, char** argv )
   , exitcode_skipped_no_threading_name( "skipped_no_threading" )
   , exitcode_skipped_no_gsl_name( "skipped_no_gsl" )
   , exitcode_skipped_no_music_name( "skipped_no_music" )
+  , exitcode_skipped_no_boost_name( "skipped_no_boost" )
   , exitcode_scripterror_name( "scripterror" )
   , exitcode_abort_name( "abort" )
   , exitcode_userabort_name( "userabort" )
@@ -330,6 +332,12 @@ SLIStartup::init( SLIInterpreter* i )
   statusdict->insert( have_music_name, Token( new BoolDatum( false ) ) );
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+  statusdict->insert( have_boost_name, Token( new BoolDatum( true ) ) );
+#else
+  statusdict->insert( have_boost_name, Token( new BoolDatum( false ) ) );
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNEUROSIM
   statusdict->insert( have_libneurosim_name, Token( new BoolDatum( true ) ) );
 #else
@@ -382,6 +390,7 @@ SLIStartup::init( SLIInterpreter* i )
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_skipped_no_threading_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_THREADING ) ) );
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_skipped_no_gsl_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_GSL ) ) );
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_skipped_no_music_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_MUSIC ) ) );
+  exitcodes->insert( exitcode_skipped_no_boost_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_BOOST ) ) );
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_scripterror_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_SCRIPTERROR ) ) );
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_abort_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( NEST_EXITCODE_ABORT ) ) );
   exitcodes->insert( exitcode_userabort_name, Token( new IntegerDatum( EXITCODE_USERABORT ) ) );
diff --git a/sli/slistartup.h b/sli/slistartup.h
index 0e53878043..a9edb14312 100644
--- a/sli/slistartup.h
+++ b/sli/slistartup.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 #define EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_THREADING 203
 #define EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_GSL 204
 #define EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_MUSIC 205
+#define EXITCODE_SKIPPED_NO_BOOST 206
 
 
 class SLIStartup : public SLIModule
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ class SLIStartup : public SLIModule
   Name ismpi_name;
   Name have_gsl_name;
   Name have_music_name;
+  Name have_boost_name;
   Name have_libneurosim_name;
   Name have_sionlib_name;
   Name have_hdf5_name;
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ class SLIStartup : public SLIModule
   Name exitcode_skipped_no_threading_name;
   Name exitcode_skipped_no_gsl_name;
   Name exitcode_skipped_no_music_name;
+  Name exitcode_skipped_no_boost_name;
   Name exitcode_scripterror_name;
   Name exitcode_abort_name;
   Name exitcode_userabort_name;
diff --git a/testsuite/pytests/test_iaf_bw_2001.py b/testsuite/pytests/test_iaf_bw_2001.py
index 257b8d0db2..ac47ce7d99 100644
--- a/testsuite/pytests/test_iaf_bw_2001.py
+++ b/testsuite/pytests/test_iaf_bw_2001.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
 import numpy.testing as nptest
 import pytest
 
+HAVE_BOOST = nest.ll_api.sli_func("statusdict/have_boost ::")
+
+
 w_ex = 40.0
 w_in = 15.0
 
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ def spiketrain_response(t, tau, spiketrain, w):
     return response
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not HAVE_BOOST, reason="Boost is not available")
 def test_iaf_bw_2001():
     """
     Creates 4 neurons.
@@ -162,6 +166,7 @@ def test_iaf_bw_2001():
     nptest.assert_array_almost_equal(gaba_soln, mm_bw1.events["s_GABA"])
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not HAVE_BOOST, reason="Boost is not available")
 def test_approximation_I_NMDA_V_m():
     """
     Creates 3 neurons.
@@ -221,6 +226,7 @@ def test_approximation_I_NMDA_V_m():
     assert np.max(np.abs(mm_approx.events["V_m"] - mm_exact.events["V_m"])) < 0.25
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not HAVE_BOOST, reason="Boost is not available")
 def test_illegal_connection_error():
     """
     Test that connecting with NMDA synapses from iaf_cond_exp throws error.