diff --git a/gnu/packages/speech.scm b/gnu/packages/speech.scm
index 0aa2a27488..097aa885f8 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/speech.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/speech.scm
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ (define-public flite
      ;; There numerous issues with the testsuite.
      ;; Enable all of them once they are fixed in upstream.
      `(#:tests? #f
+       #:parallel-build? #f
        #:configure-flags
        (list
         "--enable-shared"