diff --git a/.ci/test_r_package.sh b/.ci/test_r_package.sh
index a62e613bec3f..1b83f4582a50 100755
--- a/.ci/test_r_package.sh
+++ b/.ci/test_r_package.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ mkdir -p $R_LIB_PATH
 export R_LIBS=$R_LIB_PATH
 export PATH="$R_LIB_PATH/R/bin:$PATH"
 
+# hack to get around this:
+# https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-package-devel/2020q3/005930.html
+export _R_CHECK_SYSTEM_CLOCK_=0
+
 # Get details needed for installing R components
 R_MAJOR_VERSION=( ${R_VERSION//./ } )
 if [[ "${R_MAJOR_VERSION}" == "3" ]]; then
diff --git a/.ci/test_r_package_windows.ps1 b/.ci/test_r_package_windows.ps1
index 3e8a404d3ae2..e4bac9120bdc 100644
--- a/.ci/test_r_package_windows.ps1
+++ b/.ci/test_r_package_windows.ps1
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ $env:CRAN_MIRROR = "https://cloud.r-project.org/"
 $env:CTAN_MIRROR = "https://ctan.math.illinois.edu/systems/win32/miktex"
 $env:CTAN_PACKAGE_ARCHIVE = "$env:CTAN_MIRROR/tm/packages/"
 
+# hack to get around this:
+# https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-package-devel/2020q3/005930.html
+$env:_R_CHECK_SYSTEM_CLOCK_ = 0
+
 if (($env:COMPILER -eq "MINGW") -and ($env:R_BUILD_TYPE -eq "cmake")) {
   $env:CXX = "$env:RTOOLS_MINGW_BIN/g++.exe"
   $env:CC = "$env:RTOOLS_MINGW_BIN/gcc.exe"