diff -r 1266e98fd04c Lib/test/test_compileall.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_compileall.py	Fri Sep 25 13:05:13 2015 -0700
+++ b/Lib/test/test_compileall.py	Fri Sep 25 13:52:24 2015 -0700
@@ -165,6 +165,22 @@
             sys.stdout = orig_stdout
 
 
+for path in filter(os.path.isdir, sys.path):
+    try:
+        path = os.path.join(path, '__pycache__', 'test.pyc')
+        if not os.path.isdir(os.path.dirname(path)):
+            continue
+        with open(path, 'w') as file:
+            file.write('# for test_compileall')
+    except OSError:
+        sys_path_writable = False
+        break
+    else:
+        os.unlink(path)
+else:
+    sys_path_writable = True
+
+
 class CommandLineTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """Test compileall's CLI."""
 
@@ -194,8 +210,8 @@
         self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(path))
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.addCleanup(self._cleanup)
         self.directory = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        self.addCleanup(support.rmtree, self.directory)
         self.pkgdir = os.path.join(self.directory, 'foo')
         os.mkdir(self.pkgdir)
         self.pkgdir_cachedir = os.path.join(self.pkgdir, '__pycache__')
@@ -203,9 +219,8 @@
         self.initfn = script_helper.make_script(self.pkgdir, '__init__', '')
         self.barfn = script_helper.make_script(self.pkgdir, 'bar', '')
 
-    def _cleanup(self):
-        support.rmtree(self.directory)
-
+    @unittest.skipUnless(sys_path_writable,
+            'not all entries on sys.path are writable')
     def test_no_args_compiles_path(self):
         # Note that -l is implied for the no args case.
         bazfn = script_helper.make_script(self.directory, 'baz', '')
@@ -214,6 +229,8 @@
         self.assertNotCompiled(self.initfn)
         self.assertNotCompiled(self.barfn)
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(sys_path_writable,
+            'not all entries on sys.path are writable')
     def test_no_args_respects_force_flag(self):
         bazfn = script_helper.make_script(self.directory, 'baz', '')
         self.assertRunOK(PYTHONPATH=self.directory)
@@ -230,6 +247,8 @@
         mtime2 = os.stat(pycpath).st_mtime
         self.assertNotEqual(mtime, mtime2)
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(sys_path_writable,
+            'not all entries on sys.path are writable')
     def test_no_args_respects_quiet_flag(self):
         script_helper.make_script(self.directory, 'baz', '')
         noisy = self.assertRunOK(PYTHONPATH=self.directory)