diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 8d5e50027..560575c76 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 sudo: false
 language: c
-dist: focal
+dist: bionic 
 compiler:
   - gcc
   - clang
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ addons:
       - libexpat1-dev
       - libiniparser-dev
       - libcjson-dev
-      - valgrind
       - cppcheck
       - shellcheck
       - luarocks
diff --git a/s/runtests b/s/runtests
index 6f59385f8..159ca8d82 100755
--- a/s/runtests
+++ b/s/runtests
@@ -8,12 +8,9 @@ export LUA_PATH="$ROOT/scripts/?.lua;$LUA_PATH"
 UNIT_TESTS=$ROOT/$BUILD/eressea/test_eressea
 RUN_TESTS=$ROOT/$BUILD/eressea/eressea
 if [ "$1" = "-V" ]; then
-VALGRIND=$(which valgrind)
-if [ -n "$VALGRIND" ]; then
 SUPP=$ROOT/share/ubuntu-12_04.supp
-UNIT_TESTS="$VALGRIND --quiet --suppressions=$SUPP --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=no $UNIT_TESTS"
-RUN_TESTS="$VALGRIND --quiet --suppressions=$SUPP --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=no $RUN_TESTS"
-fi
+UNIT_TESTS="valgrind --quiet --suppressions=$SUPP --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=no $UNIT_TESTS"
+RUN_TESTS="valgrind --quiet --suppressions=$SUPP --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=no $RUN_TESTS"
 fi
 
 if [ ! -e $ROOT/$BUILD ]; then
diff --git a/s/travis-build b/s/travis-build
index 722ea9828..f8e50f872 100755
--- a/s/travis-build
+++ b/s/travis-build
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ luarocks install lunitx --local
 eval $(luarocks path)
 export LUA_PATH="$ROOT/scripts/?.lua;$LUA_PATH"
 echo $LUA_PATH
-s/runtests -V
+if [ -e /usr/bin/valgrind ]; then
+ s/runtests -V
+else
+ s/runtests
+fi
 integration_tests