Index: Lib/test/test_grp.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_grp.py	(revision 85842)
+++ Lib/test/test_grp.py	(working copy)
@@ -33,12 +33,16 @@
             e2 = grp.getgrgid(e.gr_gid)
             self.check_value(e2)
             self.assertEqual(e2.gr_gid, e.gr_gid)
-            e2 = grp.getgrnam(e.gr_name)
+            name = e.gr_name
+            if name.startswith('+') or name.startswith('-'):
+                # NIS-related entry
+                continue
+            e2 = grp.getgrnam(name)
             self.check_value(e2)
             # There are instances where getgrall() returns group names in
             # lowercase while getgrgid() returns proper casing.
             # Discovered on Ubuntu 5.04 (custom).
-            self.assertEqual(e2.gr_name.lower(), e.gr_name.lower())
+            self.assertEqual(e2.gr_name.lower(), name.lower())
 
     def test_errors(self):
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, grp.getgrgid)
Index: Modules/grpmodule.c
===================================================================
--- Modules/grpmodule.c	(revision 85842)
+++ Modules/grpmodule.c	(working copy)
@@ -160,7 +160,9 @@
 name is not valid, raise KeyError."},
     {"getgrall",        grp_getgrall,   METH_NOARGS,
      "getgrall() -> list of tuples\n\
-Return a list of all available group entries, in arbitrary order."},
+Return a list of all available group entries, in arbitrary order.\n\
+An entry whose name starts with '+' or '-' represents an instruction\n\
+to use YP/NIS and may not be accessible via getgrnam or getgrgid."},
     {NULL,              NULL}           /* sentinel */
 };