diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/ansible_util.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/ansible_util.py
index f26b983594e..309f2678b87 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/ansible_util.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/ansible_util.py
@@ -123,14 +123,14 @@ def check_pyyaml(args, version):
     :type args: EnvironmentConfig
     :type version: str
     """
-    if version in CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS:
-        return
+    try:
+        return CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS[version]
+    except KeyError:
+        pass
 
     python = find_python(version)
-    stdout, _dummy = run_command(args, [python, os.path.join(ANSIBLE_TEST_DATA_ROOT, 'yamlcheck.py')], capture=True)
-
-    if args.explain:
-        return
+    stdout, _dummy = run_command(args, [python, os.path.join(ANSIBLE_TEST_DATA_ROOT, 'yamlcheck.py')],
+                                 capture=True, always=True)
 
     CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS[version] = result = json.loads(stdout)
 
@@ -141,3 +141,5 @@ def check_pyyaml(args, version):
         display.warning('PyYAML is not installed for interpreter: %s' % python)
     elif not cloader:
         display.warning('PyYAML will be slow due to installation without libyaml support for interpreter: %s' % python)
+
+    return result
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/yamllint.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/yamllint.py
index 38fc68c704a..4bb9ce8d448 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/yamllint.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/yamllint.py
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ class YamllintTest(SanitySingleVersion):
         :type python_version: str
         :rtype: TestResult
         """
-        ansible_util.check_pyyaml(args, python_version)
-        if not ansible_util.CHECK_YAML_VERSIONS[python_version]['cloader']:
+        pyyaml_presence = ansible_util.check_pyyaml(args, python_version)
+        if not pyyaml_presence['cloader']:
             display.warning("Skipping sanity test '%s' due to missing libyaml support in PyYAML."
                             % self.name)
             return SanitySkipped(self.name)