diff --git a/Lib/test/regrtest.py b/Lib/test/regrtest.py
index 03f168ebacd..1f734c40946 100755
--- a/Lib/test/regrtest.py
+++ b/Lib/test/regrtest.py
@@ -496,6 +496,8 @@ def main(tests=None, **kwargs):
 
     if ns.slaveargs is not None:
         args, kwargs = json.loads(ns.slaveargs)
+        if kwargs.get('huntrleaks'):
+            unittest.BaseTestSuite._cleanup = False
         try:
             result = runtest(*args, **kwargs)
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
@@ -528,6 +530,9 @@ def main(tests=None, **kwargs):
             #gc.set_debug(gc.DEBUG_SAVEALL)
             found_garbage = []
 
+    if ns.huntrleaks:
+        unittest.BaseTestSuite._cleanup = False
+
     if ns.single:
         filename = os.path.join(TEMPDIR, 'pynexttest')
         try:
diff --git a/Lib/unittest/suite.py b/Lib/unittest/suite.py
index 176af57fb0b..ca82765b9c7 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/suite.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/suite.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ def _call_if_exists(parent, attr):
 class BaseTestSuite(object):
     """A simple test suite that doesn't provide class or module shared fixtures.
     """
+    _cleanup = True
+
     def __init__(self, tests=()):
         self._tests = []
         self.addTests(tests)
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ class BaseTestSuite(object):
             if result.shouldStop:
                 break
             test(result)
-            self._removeTestAtIndex(index)
+            if self._cleanup:
+                self._removeTestAtIndex(index)
         return result
 
     def _removeTestAtIndex(self, index):
@@ -115,7 +118,8 @@ class TestSuite(BaseTestSuite):
             else:
                 test.debug()
 
-            self._removeTestAtIndex(index)
+            if self._cleanup:
+                self._removeTestAtIndex(index)
 
         if topLevel:
             self._tearDownPreviousClass(None, result)
diff --git a/Lib/unittest/test/test_suite.py b/Lib/unittest/test/test_suite.py
index 1ad9b56cd68..54cec6ecbab 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/test/test_suite.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/test/test_suite.py
@@ -303,6 +303,9 @@ class Test_TestSuite(unittest.TestCase, TestEquality):
         suite.run(unittest.TestResult())
 
     def test_remove_test_at_index(self):
+        if not unittest.BaseTestSuite._cleanup:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("Suite cleanup is disabled")
+
         suite = unittest.TestSuite()
 
         suite._tests = [1, 2, 3]
@@ -311,6 +314,9 @@ class Test_TestSuite(unittest.TestCase, TestEquality):
         self.assertEqual([1, None, 3], suite._tests)
 
     def test_remove_test_at_index_not_indexable(self):
+        if not unittest.BaseTestSuite._cleanup:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("Suite cleanup is disabled")
+
         suite = unittest.TestSuite()
         suite._tests = None
 
@@ -318,6 +324,8 @@ class Test_TestSuite(unittest.TestCase, TestEquality):
         suite._removeTestAtIndex(2)
 
     def assert_garbage_collect_test_after_run(self, TestSuiteClass):
+        if not unittest.BaseTestSuite._cleanup:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("Suite cleanup is disabled")
 
         class Foo(unittest.TestCase):
             def test_nothing(self):