diff --git a/admin/sudo/test-version.sh b/admin/sudo/test-version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..f8a0f1b586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/sudo/test-version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# shellcheck shell=busybox
+
+# PKG_VERSION substitutes p->_p for a valid apk version (1.9.17_p2); the binary
+# embeds the real 1.9.17p2. Executing sudo just to read its version hangs under
+# QEMU emulation (e.g. mips_24kc), so match the version string compiled into the
+# binary instead of running it.
+case "$1" in
+sudo)
+	grep -aqF "$(echo "$2" | tr -d '_')" /usr/bin/sudo
+	;;
+*)
+	echo "Untested package: $1" >&2
+	exit 1
+	;;
+esac
diff --git a/admin/sudo/test.sh b/admin/sudo/test.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index da24851fb7..14701d4027
--- a/admin/sudo/test.sh
+++ b/admin/sudo/test.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+# sudo hangs when executed under QEMU emulation (e.g. mips_24kc), so verify the
+# installed files rather than running it. The version is checked in
+# test-version.sh against the string compiled into the binary.
 case "$1" in
-	sudo)
-		sudo --version | grep "${2//_p/p}"
-		;;
+sudo)
+	[ -x /usr/bin/sudo ] || { echo "FAIL: /usr/bin/sudo missing"; exit 1; }
+	[ -x /usr/sbin/visudo ] || { echo "FAIL: /usr/sbin/visudo missing"; exit 1; }
+	[ -f /etc/sudoers ] || { echo "FAIL: /etc/sudoers missing"; exit 1; }
+	;;
 esac