diff --git a/dev/run-tests.py b/dev/run-tests.py
index 065a27c0e853b..dfb5974427d46 100755
--- a/dev/run-tests.py
+++ b/dev/run-tests.py
@@ -609,11 +609,14 @@ def main():
               " install one and retry.")
         sys.exit(2)
 
-    # install SparkR
-    if which("R"):
-        run_cmd([os.path.join(SPARK_HOME, "R", "install-dev.sh")])
-    else:
-        print("Cannot install SparkR as R was not found in PATH")
+    # Install SparkR
+    should_only_test_modules = opts.modules is not None
+    if not should_only_test_modules:
+        # If tests modules are specified, we will not run R linter.
+        if which("R"):
+            run_cmd([os.path.join(SPARK_HOME, "R", "install-dev.sh")])
+        else:
+            print("Cannot install SparkR as R was not found in PATH")
 
     if os.environ.get("AMPLAB_JENKINS"):
         # if we're on the Amplab Jenkins build servers setup variables
@@ -643,7 +646,6 @@ def main():
     changed_modules = None
     test_modules = None
     changed_files = None
-    should_only_test_modules = opts.modules is not None
     included_tags = []
     excluded_tags = []
     if should_only_test_modules: