diff -r 8c8bb16eb3ff -r 2044f4e2728a Lib/test/test_bigaddrspace.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_bigaddrspace.py	Mon Nov 01 17:40:17 2010 +0100
+++ b/Lib/test/test_bigaddrspace.py	Thu Nov 04 00:47:49 2010 +0100
@@ -6,39 +6,35 @@
 import sys
 
 
-class StrTest(unittest.TestCase):
+class ByteTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @bigaddrspacetest
     def test_concat(self):
-        s1 = 'x' * MAX_Py_ssize_t
-        self.assertRaises(OverflowError, operator.add, s1, '?')
+        # this is a "dirty trick" - since just multiplying b"x" with
+        # MAX_Py_ssize_t generates an OverflowError before actually
+        # testing the operator.add, we multiply b"x" for a value 'a bit
+        # less than MAX_Py_ssize_t, and then readd the missing 'bit' later
+        s1 = b"x" * (MAX_Py_ssize_t - 128)
+        self.assertRaises(OverflowError, operator.add, s1, b"x" * 128)
 
     @bigaddrspacetest
     def test_optimized_concat(self):
-        x = 'x' * MAX_Py_ssize_t
-        try:
-            x = x + '?'     # this statement uses a fast path in ceval.c
-        except OverflowError:
-            pass
-        else:
-            self.fail("should have raised OverflowError")
-        try:
-            x += '?'        # this statement uses a fast path in ceval.c
-        except OverflowError:
-            pass
-        else:
-            self.fail("should have raised OverflowError")
-        self.assertEquals(len(x), MAX_Py_ssize_t)
+        x = b"x" * (MAX_Py_ssize_t - 128)
 
-    ### the following test is pending a patch
-    #   (http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-July/067774.html)
-    #@bigaddrspacetest
-    #def test_repeat(self):
-    #    self.assertRaises(OverflowError, operator.mul, 'x', MAX_Py_ssize_t + 1)
+        with self.assertRaises(OverflowError) as cm:
+            x = x + b"x" * 128    # this statement uses a fast path in ceval.c
+
+        with self.assertRaises(OverflowError) as cm:
+            x +=  b"x" * 128       # this statement uses a fast path in ceval.c
+
+    @bigaddrspacetest
+    def test_repeat(self):
+        s1 = b"x" * (MAX_Py_ssize_t - 128)
+        self.assertRaises(OverflowError, operator.mul, s1, 128)
 
 
 def test_main():
-    support.run_unittest(StrTest)
+    support.run_unittest(ByteTest)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv) > 1: