diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_thread.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_thread.py
index 94bbc1a3f43..9c87db4abe2 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_thread.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_thread.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class BaseThreadedTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         try:
             os.mkdir(homeDir)
         except OSError, e:
-            if e.errno <> errno.EEXIST: raise
+            if e.errno != errno.EEXIST: raise
         self.env = db.DBEnv()
         self.setEnvOpts()
         self.env.open(homeDir, self.envflags | db.DB_CREATE)
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ class BaseThreadedTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
         self.d.close()
         self.env.close()
-        shutil.rmtree(self.homeDir)
+        try:
+            shutil.rmtree(self.homeDir)
+        except OSError, e:
+            if e.errno != errno.EEXIST: raise
 
     def setEnvOpts(self):
         pass