diff --git a/Lib/test/test_epoll.py b/Lib/test/test_epoll.py
index f56d74f095f..ab1756cde50 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_epoll.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_epoll.py
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ from test import test_support
 if not hasattr(select, "epoll"):
     raise test_support.TestSkipped("test works only on Linux 2.6")
 
+try:
+    select.epoll()
+except IOError, e:
+    if e.errno == errno.ENOSYS:
+        raise test_support.TestSkipped("kernel doesn't support epoll()")
+
 class TestEPoll(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):