diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/primitive_types_runme.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/primitive_types_runme.py
index c04dc9552..b2060a028 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/primitive_types_runme.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/primitive_types_runme.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import ctypes
 import sys
 from primitive_types import *
 
@@ -443,6 +442,11 @@ if v != 4:
 # Check the bounds for converting various types
 #
 
+# ctypes not available until 2.5
+if sys.version_info[0:2] <= (2, 4):
+    sys.exit(0)
+import ctypes
+
 # Get the minimum and maximum values that fit in signed char, short, int, long, and long long
 overchar = 2 ** 7
 while ctypes.c_byte(overchar).value > 0:
@@ -602,5 +606,6 @@ def checkType(name, maxfunc, maxval, minfunc, minval, echofunc):
         raise RuntimeError, "bad " + name + " typemap"
 
 # sys.maxsize is the largest value supported by Py_ssize_t, which should be the same as ptrdiff_t
-checkType("ptrdiff_t", get_ptrdiff_max, sys.maxsize,           get_ptrdiff_min, -(sys.maxsize + 1), ptrdiff_echo)
-checkType("size_t",    get_size_max,    (2 * sys.maxsize) + 1, get_size_min,    0,                  size_echo)
+if sys.version_info[0:2] >= (2, 6):
+    checkType("ptrdiff_t", get_ptrdiff_max, sys.maxsize,           get_ptrdiff_min, -(sys.maxsize + 1), ptrdiff_echo)
+    checkType("size_t",    get_size_max,    (2 * sys.maxsize) + 1, get_size_min,    0,                  size_echo)