Index: Lib/test/test_subprocess.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_subprocess.py	(revision 50594)
+++ Lib/test/test_subprocess.py	(working copy)
@@ -476,10 +476,36 @@
             else:
                 self.fail("Expected OSError")
 
+        def _suppress_core_files(self):
+            """Try to prevent core files from being created.
+            Returns previous  ulimit if successful, else None.
+            """
+            try:
+                import resource
+                old_limit = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_CORE)
+                resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_CORE, (0,0))
+                return old_limit
+            except (ImportError, ValueError, resource.error):
+                return None
+
+        def _unsuppress_core_files(self, old_limit):
+            """Return core file behavior to default."""
+            if old_limit is None:
+                return
+            try:
+                import resource
+                resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_CORE, old_limit)
+            except (ImportError, ValueError, resource.error):
+                return
+            
         def test_run_abort(self):
             # returncode handles signal termination
-            p = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable,
-                                  "-c", "import os; os.abort()"])
+            old_limit = self._suppress_core_files()
+            try:
+                p = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable,
+                                      "-c", "import os; os.abort()"])
+            finally:
+                self._unsuppress_core_files(old_limit)
             p.wait()
             self.assertEqual(-p.returncode, signal.SIGABRT)