diff --git a/Lib/test/test_unittest/testmock/testpatch.py b/Lib/test/test_unittest/testmock/testpatch.py
index 93ec0ca4bef..8ceb5d973e1 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_unittest/testmock/testpatch.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_unittest/testmock/testpatch.py
@@ -1923,7 +1923,7 @@ class PatchTest(unittest.TestCase):
             del sys.modules['test.test_unittest.testmock.support']
             del sys.modules['test.test_unittest.testmock']
             del sys.modules['test.test_unittest']
-            del sys.modules['unittest']
+            del sys.modules['test']
 
             # now make sure we can patch based on a dotted path:
             @patch('test.test_unittest.testmock.support.X')
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2022-09-08-18-31-26.gh-issue-96624.5cANM1.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2022-09-08-18-31-26.gh-issue-96624.5cANM1.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2d1bcc03e1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2022-09-08-18-31-26.gh-issue-96624.5cANM1.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed the failure of repeated runs of ``test.test_unittest`` caused by side effects in ``test_dotted_but_module_not_loaded``.