diff --git a/changelog/6924.bugfix.rst b/changelog/6924.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7283370a0e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/6924.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Ensure a ``unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase`` is actually awaited.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/python.py b/src/_pytest/python.py
index 6805a72fbf7..be526ea7ab2 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/python.py
@@ -175,15 +175,33 @@ def async_warn(nodeid: str) -> None:
 @hookimpl(trylast=True)
 def pytest_pyfunc_call(pyfuncitem: "Function"):
     testfunction = pyfuncitem.obj
-    if iscoroutinefunction(testfunction) or (
-        sys.version_info >= (3, 6) and inspect.isasyncgenfunction(testfunction)
-    ):
+
+    try:
+        # ignoring type as the import is  invalid in py37  and mypy thinks its a error
+        from unittest import IsolatedAsyncioTestCase  # type: ignore
+    except ImportError:
+        async_ok_in_stdlib = False
+    else:
+        async_ok_in_stdlib = isinstance(
+            getattr(testfunction, "__self__", None), IsolatedAsyncioTestCase
+        )
+
+    if (
+        iscoroutinefunction(testfunction)
+        or (sys.version_info >= (3, 6) and inspect.isasyncgenfunction(testfunction))
+    ) and not async_ok_in_stdlib:
         async_warn(pyfuncitem.nodeid)
     funcargs = pyfuncitem.funcargs
     testargs = {arg: funcargs[arg] for arg in pyfuncitem._fixtureinfo.argnames}
     result = testfunction(**testargs)
     if hasattr(result, "__await__") or hasattr(result, "__aiter__"):
-        async_warn(pyfuncitem.nodeid)
+        if async_ok_in_stdlib:
+            # todo: investigate moving this to the unittest plugin
+            #       by a test call result hook
+            testcase = testfunction.__self__
+            testcase._callMaybeAsync(lambda: result)
+        else:
+            async_warn(pyfuncitem.nodeid)
     return True
 
 
diff --git a/testing/example_scripts/pytest.ini b/testing/example_scripts/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec5fe0e83a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/example_scripts/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[pytest]
+# dummy pytest.ini to ease direct running of example scripts
diff --git a/testing/example_scripts/unittest/test_unittest_asyncio.py b/testing/example_scripts/unittest/test_unittest_asyncio.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..16eec1026ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/example_scripts/unittest/test_unittest_asyncio.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from unittest import IsolatedAsyncioTestCase  # type: ignore
+
+
+class AsyncArguments(IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
+    async def test_something_async(self):
+        async def addition(x, y):
+            return x + y
+
+        self.assertEqual(await addition(2, 2), 4)
+
+    async def test_something_async_fails(self):
+        async def addition(x, y):
+            return x + y
+
+        self.assertEqual(await addition(2, 2), 3)
diff --git a/testing/test_unittest.py b/testing/test_unittest.py
index c5fc20239b1..de51f7bd104 100644
--- a/testing/test_unittest.py
+++ b/testing/test_unittest.py
@@ -1129,3 +1129,11 @@ def test(self):
     result = testdir.runpytest("--trace", str(p1))
     assert len(calls) == 2
     assert result.ret == 0
+
+
+def test_async_support(testdir):
+    pytest.importorskip("unittest.async_case")
+
+    testdir.copy_example("unittest/test_unittest_asyncio.py")
+    reprec = testdir.inline_run()
+    reprec.assertoutcome(failed=1, passed=1)