diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ioctl.py b/Lib/test/test_ioctl.py
index a6a59c5a4e1..959d16e5924 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ioctl.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ioctl.py
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
 if not hasattr(termios,'TIOCGPGRP'):
     raise TestSkipped("termios module doesn't have TIOCGPGRP")
 
+try:
+    tty = open("/dev/tty", "r")
+    tty.close()
+except IOError:
+    raise TestSkipped("Unable to open /dev/tty")
+
 class IoctlTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_ioctl(self):
         pgrp = os.getpgrp()