diff --git a/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-3.1.1_p20210225.ebuild b/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-3.1.1_p20210225.ebuild
index 97dfa6e9a2365..61a6ad498b66f 100644
--- a/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-3.1.1_p20210225.ebuild
+++ b/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-3.1.1_p20210225.ebuild
@@ -80,8 +80,12 @@ RDEPEND="
 	)
 "
 
+pkg_pretend() {
+	[[ ${MERGE_TYPE} != binary ]] && use openmp && tc-check-openmp
+}
+
 pkg_setup() {
-	use openmp && tc-check-openmp
+	[[ ${MERGE_TYPE} != binary ]] && use openmp && tc-check-openmp
 }
 
 prepare_python_bindings() {
diff --git a/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-9999.ebuild b/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-9999.ebuild
index 2c73801d2362c..956b061aed0f1 100644
--- a/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-9999.ebuild
+++ b/sci-chemistry/openbabel/openbabel-9999.ebuild
@@ -80,8 +80,12 @@ RDEPEND="
 	)
 "
 
+pkg_pretend() {
+	[[ ${MERGE_TYPE} != binary ]] && use openmp && tc-check-openmp
+}
+
 pkg_setup() {
-	use openmp && tc-check-openmp
+	[[ ${MERGE_TYPE} != binary ]] && use openmp && tc-check-openmp
 }
 
 prepare_python_bindings() {