diff --git a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/harness.py b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/harness.py
index a70601e3de3caa..bfdcb107ec8f2f 100644
--- a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/harness.py
+++ b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/harness.py
@@ -693,8 +693,12 @@ class HarnessImporter:
     @staticmethod
     def get_harness(harness_name):
         thismodule = sys.modules[__name__]
-        if harness_name:
-            harness_class = getattr(thismodule, harness_name)
-        else:
-            harness_class = getattr(thismodule, 'Test')
-        return harness_class()
+        try:
+            if harness_name:
+                harness_class = getattr(thismodule, harness_name)
+            else:
+                harness_class = getattr(thismodule, 'Test')
+            return harness_class()
+        except AttributeError as e:
+            logger.debug(f"harness {harness_name} not implemented: {e}")
+            return None
diff --git a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/runner.py b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/runner.py
index bfaa5939fe2a21..9ef53b386c9c7d 100644
--- a/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/runner.py
+++ b/scripts/pylib/twister/twisterlib/runner.py
@@ -1055,8 +1055,9 @@ def build(self):
         harness = HarnessImporter.get_harness(self.instance.testsuite.harness.capitalize())
         build_result = self.run_build(['--build', self.build_dir])
         try:
-            harness.instance = self.instance
-            harness.build()
+            if harness:
+                harness.instance = self.instance
+                harness.build()
         except ConfigurationError as error:
             self.instance.status = "error"
             self.instance.reason = str(error)