diff --git a/Lib/test/test_calendar.py b/Lib/test/test_calendar.py
index f906bc39bd6..9ba7f0c071a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_calendar.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_calendar.py
@@ -254,16 +254,13 @@ class CalendarTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_localecalendars(self):
         # ensure that Locale{Text,HTML}Calendar resets the locale properly
         # (it is still not thread-safe though)
-        try:
-            def_locale = locale.getdefaultlocale()
-        except locale.Error:
-            # cannot determine a default locale -- skip test
-            return
         old_october = calendar.TextCalendar().formatmonthname(2010, 10, 10)
-        calendar.LocaleTextCalendar(
-            locale=def_locale).formatmonthname(2010, 10, 10)
-        calendar.LocaleHTMLCalendar(
-            locale=def_locale).formatmonthname(2010, 10)
+        try:
+            calendar.LocaleTextCalendar(locale='').formatmonthname(2010, 10, 10)
+        except locale.Error:
+            # cannot set the system default locale -- skip rest of test
+            return
+        calendar.LocaleHTMLCalendar(locale='').formatmonthname(2010, 10)
         new_october = calendar.TextCalendar().formatmonthname(2010, 10, 10)
         self.assertEquals(old_october, new_october)