diff --git a/tests/test_cursor.py b/tests/test_cursor.py
index b1c5c5c3..b2c32b8a 100755
--- a/tests/test_cursor.py
+++ b/tests/test_cursor.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import time
 import psycopg2
 import psycopg2.extensions
 from psycopg2.extensions import b
-from testconfig import dsn
-from testutils import unittest, skip_before_postgres, skip_if_no_namedtuple
+from testconfig import dsn, unittest, skip_before_postgres
+from testutils import skip_if_no_namedtuple, skip_if_no_getrefcount
 
 class CursorTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ class CursorTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(b('SELECT 10.3;'),
             cur.mogrify("SELECT %s;", (Decimal("10.3"),)))
 
+    @skip_if_no_getrefcount
     def test_mogrify_leak_on_multiple_reference(self):
         # issue #81: reference leak when a parameter value is referenced
         # more than once from a dict.
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ class CursorTests(unittest.TestCase):
         curs = self.conn.cursor()
         w = ref(curs)
         del curs
+        import gc; gc.collect()
         self.assert_(w() is None)
 
     def test_null_name(self):
diff --git a/tests/testutils.py b/tests/testutils.py
index 068a9138..c899c051 100644
--- a/tests/testutils.py
+++ b/tests/testutils.py
@@ -223,6 +223,15 @@ def skip_if_no_superuser(f):
     return skip_if_no_superuser_
 
 
+def skip_if_no_getrefcount(f):
+    @wraps(f)
+    def skip_if_no_getrefcount_(self):
+        if not hasattr(sys, 'getrefcount'):
+            return self.skipTest('skipped, no sys.getrefcount()')
+        else:
+            return f(self)
+    return skip_if_no_getrefcount_
+
 def script_to_py3(script):
     """Convert a script to Python3 syntax if required."""
     if sys.version_info[0] < 3: