diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/app_loading/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/app_loading/tests.py
index bc958c0d8870c..683c6079ad3e1 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/app_loading/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/app_loading/tests.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 >>> old_sys_path = sys.path
 >>> sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
->>> old_tz = os.environ["TZ"]
+>>> old_tz = os.environ.get("TZ")
 >>> settings = Settings('test_settings')
 
 >>> settings.INSTALLED_APPS