diff --git a/test/hl/test_file.py b/test/hl/test_file.py
index ef2c6df..8226e63 100644
--- a/test/hl/test_file.py
+++ b/test/hl/test_file.py
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ def test_create(self):
         self.assertTrue(f.id.id is not None)
         self.assertTrue('/' in f)
         # should not see id as a file
-        self.assertFalse(h5py.is_hdf5(f.id.id))
+        # skip for h5py, since its is_hdf5 implementation expects a path
+        if h5py.__name__ == "h5pyd":
+            self.assertFalse(h5py.is_hdf5(f.id.id))
         # Check domain's timestamps
         if h5py.__name__ == "h5pyd":
             # print("modified:", datetime.fromtimestamp(f.modified), f.modified)