diff --git a/tests/modeltests/select_for_update/tests.py b/tests/modeltests/select_for_update/tests.py
index 24e6d748e785f..643b0852d6b5b 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/select_for_update/tests.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/select_for_update/tests.py
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ def test_block(self):
         # Check the thread has finished. Assuming it has, we should
         # find that it has updated the person's name.
         self.failIf(thread.isAlive())
+
+        # We must commit the transaction to ensure that MySQL gets a fresh read,
+        # since by default it runs in REPEATABLE READ mode
+        transaction.commit()
+
         p = Person.objects.get(pk=self.person.pk)
         self.assertEqual('Fred', p.name)