diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 17957584b76..47ab5e888dc 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -7,13 +7,9 @@ env:
   global:
     - RUBY_VERSION=2.1
   matrix:
-    - CONFIG=dbg TEST=c
-    - CONFIG=dbg TEST=c++
-    - CONFIG=opt TEST=c
-    - CONFIG=opt TEST=c++
-    - CONFIG=opt TEST=node
-    - CONFIG=opt TEST=ruby
+    - CONFIG=opt TEST=python
 script:
+  - which python
   - rvm use $RUBY_VERSION
   - gem install bundler
   - ./tools/run_tests/run_tests.py -l $TEST -t -j 16 -c $CONFIG -s 2.0
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
index 5a3c720ba56..f575923c22d 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ set -ex
 # change to grpc repo root
 cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 
-make -j6
-
 root=`pwd`
 virtualenv python2.7_virtual_environment
 source python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/activate
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
index b7370327ddd..e949670b8c9 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class PythonLanguage(object):
     return [config.job_spec('tools/run_tests/run_python.sh', None)]
 
   def make_targets(self):
-    return[]
+    return ['static_c']
 
   def build_steps(self):
     return [['tools/run_tests/build_python.sh']]