diff --git a/Lib/test/test_strptime.py b/Lib/test/test_strptime.py
index 4ce37f80986..76bfd63af80 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_strptime.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_strptime.py
@@ -280,12 +280,13 @@ class StrptimeTests(unittest.TestCase):
         # when time.tzname[0] == time.tzname[1] and time.daylight
         if sys.platform == "mac":
             return #MacOS9 has severely broken timezone support.
+        tz_name= time.tzname[0]
         try:
             original_tzname = time.tzname
             original_daylight = time.daylight
-            time.tzname = ("PDT", "PDT")
+            time.tzname = (tz_name, tz_name)
             time.daylight = 1
-            tz_value = _strptime.strptime("PDT", "%Z")[8]
+            tz_value = _strptime.strptime(tz_name, "%Z")[8]
             self.failUnlessEqual(tz_value, -1)
         finally:
             time.tzname = original_tzname