diff --git a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
index 35fc584a4ffe..d6690df5e7f1 100755
--- a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
+++ b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
@@ -618,6 +618,18 @@ sub set_value {
     if ($buildonly && $lvalue =~ /^TEST_TYPE(\[.*\])?$/ && $prvalue ne "build") {
 	# Note if a test is something other than build, then we
 	# will need other manditory options.
+	if ($prvalue ne "install") {
+	    # for bisect, we need to check BISECT_TYPE
+	    if ($prvalue ne "bisect") {
+		$buildonly = 0;
+	    }
+	} else {
+	    # install still limits some manditory options.
+	    $buildonly = 2;
+	}
+    }
+
+    if ($buildonly && $lvalue =~ /^BISECT_TYPE(\[.*\])?$/ && $prvalue ne "build") {
 	if ($prvalue ne "install") {
 	    $buildonly = 0;
 	} else {
@@ -1279,6 +1291,7 @@ sub start_monitor {
 }
 
 sub end_monitor {
+    return if (!defined $console);
     if (--$monitor_cnt) {
 	return;
     }
@@ -1585,7 +1598,7 @@ sub wait_for_input
 
     $rin = '';
     vec($rin, fileno($fp), 1) = 1;
-    $ready = select($rin, undef, undef, $time);
+    ($ready, $time) = select($rin, undef, undef, $time);
 
     $line = "";
 
@@ -1891,15 +1904,19 @@ sub get_version {
 
 sub start_monitor_and_boot {
     # Make sure the stable kernel has finished booting
-    start_monitor;
-    wait_for_monitor 5;
-    end_monitor;
+
+    # Install bisects, don't need console
+    if (defined $console) {
+	start_monitor;
+	wait_for_monitor 5;
+	end_monitor;
+    }
 
     get_grub_index;
     get_version;
     install;
 
-    start_monitor;
+    start_monitor if (defined $console);
     return monitor;
 }