diff --git a/client/hostinfo_unix.cpp b/client/hostinfo_unix.cpp
index e556cfafa8..bbac65cc84 100644
--- a/client/hostinfo_unix.cpp
+++ b/client/hostinfo_unix.cpp
@@ -1576,7 +1576,10 @@ int HOST_INFO::get_host_info(bool init) {
     // a run of the client
     //
 
-    get_virtualbox_version();
+    if (!cc_config.dont_use_vbox) {
+        get_virtualbox_version();
+    }
+
     get_cpu_info();
     get_cpu_count();
     get_memory_info();
diff --git a/client/hostinfo_win.cpp b/client/hostinfo_win.cpp
index c04bffe8b8..6cdbd2b02a 100644
--- a/client/hostinfo_win.cpp
+++ b/client/hostinfo_win.cpp
@@ -1214,7 +1214,9 @@ int HOST_INFO::get_host_info(bool init) {
     get_os_information(
         os_name, sizeof(os_name), os_version, sizeof(os_version)
     );
-    get_virtualbox_version();
+    if (!cc_config.dont_use_vbox) {
+        get_virtualbox_version();
+    }
     get_processor_info(
         p_vendor, sizeof(p_vendor),
         p_model, sizeof(p_model),