diff --git a/tests/test_validators.py b/tests/test_validators.py
index 40c9dbfd1..1393e4457 100644
--- a/tests/test_validators.py
+++ b/tests/test_validators.py
@@ -30,8 +30,13 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def zope():
-    import zope
-    import zope.interface
+    try:
+        import zope
+        import zope.interface
+    except ImportError:
+        raise pytest.skip(
+            "zope-related tests skipped when zope.interface is not installed"
+        )
 
     return zope
 
@@ -239,7 +244,6 @@ def f():
     return IFoo
 
 
-@pytest.mark.zope
 class TestProvides(object):
     """
     Tests for `provides`.
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 95fa28b54..1f04ec79a 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [pytest]
 addopts = -ra
 testpaths = tests
-markers = zope
 filterwarnings =
     once::Warning
     ignore:::pympler[.*]