diff --git a/tests/runtests.py b/tests/runtests.py
index 599916ab23..ee7b1a5cda 100755
--- a/tests/runtests.py
+++ b/tests/runtests.py
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ def django_tests(verbosity, interactive, test_labels):
     get_apps()
 
     # Load all the test model apps.
-    test_models = []
     for model_dir, model_name in get_test_models():
         model_label = '.'.join([model_dir, model_name])
         try:
@@ -142,7 +141,13 @@ def django_tests(verbosity, interactive, test_labels):
         model_label = '.'.join([model_dir, model_name])
         if not test_labels or model_name in test_labels:
             extra_tests.append(InvalidModelTestCase(model_label))
-
+            try:
+                # Invalid models are not working apps, so we cannot pass them into 
+                # the test runner with the other test_labels
+                test_labels.remove(model_name)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+    
     # Run the test suite, including the extra validation tests.
     from django.test.simple import run_tests
     failures = run_tests(test_labels, verbosity=verbosity, interactive=interactive, extra_tests=extra_tests)