diff -r 97e01e107591 Lib/unittest/case.py
--- a/Lib/unittest/case.py	Sun Mar 08 15:29:39 2015 -0700
+++ b/Lib/unittest/case.py	Mon Mar 09 10:10:07 2015 +0100
@@ -566,9 +566,15 @@ class TestCase(object):
         expecting_failure = getattr(testMethod,
                                     "__unittest_expecting_failure__", False)
         outcome = _Outcome(result)
+
+        def sig_noop(*args):
+            pass
+        old_handler = signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, sig_noop)
         try:
             self._outcome = outcome
 
+            signal.setitimer(signal.ITIMER_REAL, 0.1, 0.001)
+
             with outcome.testPartExecutor(self):
                 self.setUp()
             if outcome.success:
@@ -593,6 +599,9 @@ class TestCase(object):
                     result.addSuccess(self)
             return result
         finally:
+            signal.alarm(0)
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, old_handler)
+
             result.stopTest(self)
             if orig_result is None:
                 stopTestRun = getattr(result, 'stopTestRun', None)