diff --git a/Lib/test/test_warnings.py b/Lib/test/test_warnings.py
index 5a3f5216310..5d051a59d1b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_warnings.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_warnings.py
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ class TestModule(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(msg.category, 'UserWarning')
 
 def test_main(verbose=None):
+    # Obscure hack so that this test passes after reloads or repeated calls
+    # to test_main (regrtest -R).
+    if '__warningregistry__' in globals():
+        del globals()['__warningregistry__']
     test_support.run_unittest(TestModule)
 
-# Obscure hack so that this test passes after reloads (regrtest -R).
-if '__warningregistry__' in globals():
-    del globals()['__warningregistry__']
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test_main(verbose=True)