diff -r f954ee489896 Lib/unittest/case.py
--- a/Lib/unittest/case.py	Sun Jul 15 16:12:54 2012 +0100
+++ b/Lib/unittest/case.py	Mon Jul 16 13:40:12 2012 -0700
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import sys
 import functools
+import contextlib
 import difflib
 import pprint
 import re
@@ -371,6 +372,10 @@
         return "<%s testMethod=%s>" % \
                (strclass(self.__class__), self._testMethodName)
 
+    @property
+    def _testMethod(self):
+        return getattr(self, self._testMethodName)
+
     def _addSkip(self, result, reason):
         addSkip = getattr(result, 'addSkip', None)
         if addSkip is not None:
@@ -410,6 +415,32 @@
             outcome.success = False
             outcome.errors.append(sys.exc_info())
 
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def setUpContext(self):
+        outcome = self._outcomeForDoCleanups
+        self._executeTestPart(self.setUp, outcome)
+        setUpSuccess = outcome.success
+
+        yield
+
+        if setUpSuccess:
+            self._executeTestPart(self.tearDown, outcome)
+
+        self.doCleanups()
+
+    def runTestMethod(self):
+        outcome = self._outcomeForDoCleanups
+        if outcome.success:
+            self._executeTestPart(self._testMethod, outcome, isTest=True)
+
+    def executeTest(self):
+        """Execute the test with setUp, tearDown, and Cleanups.
+
+        This method is meant to be overridden.
+        """
+        with self.setUpContext():
+            self.runTestMethod()
+
     def run(self, result=None):
         orig_result = result
         if result is None:
@@ -420,7 +451,7 @@
 
         result.startTest(self)
 
-        testMethod = getattr(self, self._testMethodName)
+        testMethod = self._testMethod
         if (getattr(self.__class__, "__unittest_skip__", False) or
             getattr(testMethod, "__unittest_skip__", False)):
             # If the class or method was skipped.
@@ -435,12 +466,8 @@
             outcome = _Outcome()
             self._outcomeForDoCleanups = outcome
 
-            self._executeTestPart(self.setUp, outcome)
-            if outcome.success:
-                self._executeTestPart(testMethod, outcome, isTest=True)
-                self._executeTestPart(self.tearDown, outcome)
+            self.executeTest()
 
-            self.doCleanups()
             if outcome.success:
                 result.addSuccess(self)
             else: