diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 322ff5c8fd21e..cd039f33bbcbf 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ script:
     # restore initial state and prepare for travis caching
     - mv julia2 julia &&
         rm -f julia/deps/scratch/libgit2-*/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log
+    # run the LLVM tests on Linux
+    - if [ `uname` = "Linux" ]; then
+        pushd julia && make -C test/llvmpasses && popd; fi
     # run the doctests on Linux 64-bit
     - if [ `uname` = "Linux" ] && [ $ARCH = "x86_64" ]; then
         pushd julia && make -C doc doctest=true && popd; fi