diff --git a/gnu/packages/version-control.scm b/gnu/packages/version-control.scm
index 4e3cd0a576..860a921195 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/version-control.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/version-control.scm
@@ -2020,6 +2020,10 @@ (define-public subversion
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
      (list
+      ;; Running the tests in parallel causes test failures on i686-linux.
+      ;; The issue was reported to users@subversion.apache.org, as suggested
+      ;; at https://subversion.apache.org/reporting-issues.
+      #:parallel-tests? #f
       #:configure-flags #~(list "--enable-static=no")
       #:phases
       #~(modify-phases %standard-phases