diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/float_test.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/float_test.go
index c0a8cfc89e..c5c604003a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/float_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/float_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ package gc
 
 import (
 	"math"
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -364,11 +366,19 @@ func TestFloatConvertFolded(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFloat32StoreToLoadConstantFold(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test that math.Float32{,from}bits constant fold correctly.
-	// In particular we need to be careful that signalling NaN (sNaN) values
+	// In particular we need to be careful that signaling NaN (sNaN) values
 	// are not converted to quiet NaN (qNaN) values during compilation.
 	// See issue #27193 for more information.
 
-	// signalling NaNs
+	// TODO: this method for detecting 387 won't work if the compiler has been
+	// built using GOARCH=386 GO386=387 and either the target is a different
+	// architecture or the GO386=387 environment variable is not set when the
+	// test is run.
+	if runtime.GOARCH == "386" && os.Getenv("GO386") == "387" {
+		t.Skip("signaling NaNs are not propagated on 387 (issue #27516)")
+	}
+
+	// signaling NaNs
 	{
 		const nan = uint32(0x7f800001) // sNaN
 		if x := math.Float32bits(math.Float32frombits(nan)); x != nan {