diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a99ee30a162..dfe03b547e9c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ prepublish-build: clean-lib clean-runtime-helpers
 prepublish:
 	$(MAKE) bootstrap-only
 	$(MAKE) prepublish-build
-	$(MAKE) test
+	IS_PUBLISH=true $(MAKE) test
 
 new-version:
 	git pull --rebase
diff --git a/packages/babel-core/test/config-chain.js b/packages/babel-core/test/config-chain.js
index 08e69aee3ee3..aef0ba90cb3c 100644
--- a/packages/babel-core/test/config-chain.js
+++ b/packages/babel-core/test/config-chain.js
@@ -1044,6 +1044,10 @@ describe("buildConfigChain", function() {
         );
         const filename = tmp("src.js");
 
+        // We can't transpile import() while publishing, and it isn't supported
+        // by jest.
+        if (process.env.IS_PUBLISH && name === "babel.config.mjs") return;
+
         await config(name);
 
         expect(await loadOptionsAsync({ filename, cwd })).toEqual({
@@ -1067,6 +1071,15 @@ describe("buildConfigChain", function() {
           `babel-test-dup-config-${name1}-${name2}`,
         );
 
+        // We can't transpile import() while publishing, and it isn't supported
+        // by jest.
+        if (
+          process.env.IS_PUBLISH &&
+          (name1 === "babel.config.mjs" || name2 === "babel.config.mjs")
+        ) {
+          return;
+        }
+
         await Promise.all([config(name1), config(name2)]);
 
         await expect(
@@ -1124,6 +1137,10 @@ describe("buildConfigChain", function() {
         );
         const filename = tmp("src.js");
 
+        // We can't transpile import() while publishing, and it isn't supported
+        // by jest.
+        if (process.env.IS_PUBLISH && name === ".babelrc.mjs") return;
+
         await config(name);
 
         expect(await loadOptionsAsync({ filename, cwd })).toEqual({
@@ -1157,6 +1174,15 @@ describe("buildConfigChain", function() {
           `babel-test-dup-config-${name1}-${name2}`,
         );
 
+        // We can't transpile import() while publishing, and it isn't supported
+        // by jest.
+        if (
+          process.env.IS_PUBLISH &&
+          (name1 === ".babelrc.mjs" || name2 === ".babelrc.mjs")
+        ) {
+          return;
+        }
+
         await Promise.all([config(name1), config(name2)]);
 
         await expect(
@@ -1187,6 +1213,10 @@ describe("buildConfigChain", function() {
       `("should show helpful errors for $config", async ({ dir, error }) => {
         const filename = fixture("config-files", dir, "src.js");
 
+        // We can't transpile import() while publishing, and it isn't supported
+        // by jest.
+        if (process.env.IS_PUBLISH && dir === "babelrc-mjs-error") return;
+
         await expect(
           loadOptionsAsync({ filename, cwd: path.dirname(filename) }),
         ).rejects.toThrow(error);