diff --git a/django/test/doctest.py b/django/test/_doctest.py
similarity index 99%
rename from django/test/doctest.py
rename to django/test/_doctest.py
index 3b364f0a75..8777a2cbba 100644
--- a/django/test/doctest.py
+++ b/django/test/_doctest.py
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+# This is a slightly modified version of the doctest.py that shipped with Python 2.4
+# It incorporates changes that have been submitted the the Python ticket tracker 
+# as ticket #1521051. These changes allow for a DoctestRunner and Doctest base
+# class to be specified when constructing a DoctestSuite.
+
 # Module doctest.
 # Released to the public domain 16-Jan-2001, by Tim Peters (tim@python.org).
 # Major enhancements and refactoring by:
diff --git a/django/test/simple.py b/django/test/simple.py
index cfaa09a0a4..5f7f86f220 100644
--- a/django/test/simple.py
+++ b/django/test/simple.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import unittest, doctest
+import unittest
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.test import _doctest as doctest
 from django.test.utils import setup_test_environment, teardown_test_environment
 from django.test.utils import create_test_db, destroy_test_db
 from django.test.testcases import OutputChecker, DocTestRunner
diff --git a/django/test/testcases.py b/django/test/testcases.py
index dd1f73befd..2bc1b5a5f8 100644
--- a/django/test/testcases.py
+++ b/django/test/testcases.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import re, doctest, unittest
+import re, unittest
 from urlparse import urlparse
 from django.db import transaction
 from django.core import management, mail
 from django.db.models import get_apps
+from django.test import _doctest as doctest
 from django.test.client import Client
 
 normalize_long_ints = lambda s: re.sub(r'(?<![\w])(\d+)L(?![\w])', '\\1', s)