diff --git a/Lib/test/test_support.py b/Lib/test/test_support.py
index 80b83562a73..85399973d74 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_support.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_support.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ class TestSkipped(Error):
     TestFailed.
     """
 
-verbose = 1                             # Flag set to 0 by regrtest.py
-use_large_resources = 1 # Flag set to 0 by regrtest.py
+verbose = 1              # Flag set to 0 by regrtest.py
+use_resources = []       # Flag set to [] by regrtest.py
 
 def unload(name):
     try:
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ def forget(modname):
         except os.error:
             pass
 
+def requires(resource, msg=None):
+    if resource not in use_resources:
+        if msg is None:
+            msg = "Use of the `%s' resource not enabled" % resource
+        raise TestSkipped(msg)
+
 FUZZ = 1e-6
 
 def fcmp(x, y): # fuzzy comparison function