diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/python_abstractbase_runme3.py b/Examples/test-suite/python/python_abstractbase_runme3.py
index b4a20f085..4fdc79935 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/python_abstractbase_runme3.py
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/python_abstractbase_runme3.py
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ from collections import *
 if is_python_builtin():
     exit(0)
 
+# Python abc is only turned on when -py3 option is passed to SWIG
+if not is_swig_py3:
+    exit(0)
+
 assert issubclass(Mapii, MutableMapping)
 assert issubclass(Multimapii, MutableMapping)
 assert issubclass(IntSet, MutableSet)
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python_abstractbase.i b/Examples/test-suite/python_abstractbase.i
index 65f3d9931..2146e758e 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python_abstractbase.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python_abstractbase.i
@@ -24,3 +24,9 @@ bool is_python_builtin() { return true; }
 bool is_python_builtin() { return false; }
 #endif
 %}
+
+#ifdef SWIGPYTHON_PY3 // set when using -py3
+#define is_swig_py3 1
+#else
+#define is_swig_py3 0
+#endif