diff --git a/Lib/runpy.py b/Lib/runpy.py
index d2f18d3..4e8d563 100755
--- a/Lib/runpy.py
+++ b/Lib/runpy.py
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@
 ]
 
 
-def _run_code(code, run_globals, init_globals,
-              mod_name, mod_fname, mod_loader):
+def _run_code(code, run_globals, init_globals=None,
+              mod_name=None, mod_fname=None,
+              mod_loader=None):
     """Helper for _run_module_code"""
     if init_globals is not None:
         run_globals.update(init_globals)
@@ -34,35 +35,30 @@
 
 def _run_module_code(code, init_globals=None,
                     mod_name=None, mod_fname=None,
-                    mod_loader=None, alter_sys=False):
+                    mod_loader=None):
     """Helper for run_module"""
     # Set up the top level namespace dictionary
-    if alter_sys:
-        # Modify sys.argv[0] and sys.module[mod_name]
-        temp_module = imp.new_module(mod_name)
-        mod_globals = temp_module.__dict__
-        saved_argv0 = sys.argv[0]
-        restore_module = mod_name in sys.modules
-        if restore_module:
-            saved_module = sys.modules[mod_name]
-        sys.argv[0] = mod_fname
-        sys.modules[mod_name] = temp_module
-        try:
-            _run_code(code, mod_globals, init_globals,
-                      mod_name, mod_fname, mod_loader)
-        finally:
-            sys.argv[0] = saved_argv0
+    temp_module = imp.new_module(mod_name)
+    mod_globals = temp_module.__dict__
+    # Modify sys.argv[0] and sys.module[mod_name]
+    saved_argv0 = sys.argv[0]
+    restore_module = mod_name in sys.modules
+    if restore_module:
+        saved_module = sys.modules[mod_name]
+    sys.argv[0] = mod_fname
+    sys.modules[mod_name] = temp_module
+    try:
+        _run_code(code, mod_globals, init_globals,
+                    mod_name, mod_fname, mod_loader)
+    finally:
+        sys.argv[0] = saved_argv0
         if restore_module:
             sys.modules[mod_name] = saved_module
         else:
             del sys.modules[mod_name]
-        # Copy the globals of the temporary module, as they
-        # may be cleared when the temporary module goes away
-        return mod_globals.copy()
-    else:
-        # Leave the sys module alone
-        return _run_code(code, {}, init_globals,
-                         mod_name, mod_fname, mod_loader)
+    # Copy the globals of the temporary module, as they
+    # may be cleared when the temporary module goes away
+    return mod_globals.copy()
 
 
 # This helper is needed due to a missing component in the PEP 302
@@ -75,13 +71,8 @@
     else:
         return get_filename(mod_name)
 
-
-def run_module(mod_name, init_globals=None,
-                         run_name=None, alter_sys=False):
-    """Execute a module's code without importing it
-
-       Returns the resulting top level namespace dictionary
-    """
+# Helper to get the loader, code and filename for a module
+def _get_module_details(mod_name):
     loader = get_loader(mod_name)
     if loader is None:
         raise ImportError("No module named %s" % mod_name)
@@ -92,10 +83,40 @@
     if code is None:
         raise ImportError("No code object available for %s" % mod_name)
     filename = _get_filename(loader, mod_name)
+    return loader, code, filename
+
+
+# XXX ncoghlan: Should this be documented and made public?
+def _run_module_as_main(mod_name, set_argv0=True):
+    """Runs the designated module in the __main__ namespace
+
+       These __*__ magic variables will be overwritten:
+           __file__
+           __loader__
+    """
+    loader, code, fname = _get_module_details(mod_name)
+    main_globals = sys.modules["__main__"].__dict__
+    if set_argv0:
+        sys.argv[0] = fname
+    return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
+                     "__main__", fname, loader)
+
+def run_module(mod_name, init_globals=None,
+               run_name=None, alter_sys=False):
+    """Execute a module's code without importing it
+
+       Returns the resulting top level namespace dictionary
+    """
+    loader, code, fname = _get_module_details(mod_name)
     if run_name is None:
         run_name = mod_name
-    return _run_module_code(code, init_globals, run_name,
-                            filename, loader, alter_sys)
+    if alter_sys:
+        return _run_module_code(code, init_globals, run_name,
+                                fname, loader)
+    else:
+        # Leave the sys module alone
+        return _run_code(code, {}, init_globals,
+                         run_name, fname, loader)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
@@ -104,4 +125,4 @@
         print >> sys.stderr, "No module specified for execution"
     else:
         del sys.argv[0] # Make the requested module sys.argv[0]
-        run_module(sys.argv[0], run_name="__main__", alter_sys=True)
+        _run_module_as_main(sys.argv[0])
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
index d3f07c7..9fcd219 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
@@ -3,18 +3,25 @@
 import sys
 import subprocess
 
+def _spawn_python(*args):
+    cmd_line = [sys.executable]
+    cmd_line.extend(args)
+    return subprocess.Popen(cmd_line, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+
+def _kill_python(p):
+    p.stdin.close()
+    data = p.stdout.read()
+    p.stdout.close()
+    # try to cleanup the child so we don't appear to leak when running
+    # with regrtest -R.  This should be a no-op on Windows.
+    subprocess._cleanup()
+    return data
+
 class CmdLineTest(unittest.TestCase):
-    def start_python(self, cmd_line):
-        cmd = '"%s" %s' % (sys.executable, cmd_line)
-        p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
-                             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
-        p.stdin.close()
-        data = p.stdout.read()
-        p.stdout.close()
-        # try to cleanup the child so we don't appear to leak when running
-        # with regrtest -R.  This should be a no-op on Windows.
-        subprocess._cleanup()
-        return data
+    def start_python(self, *args):
+        p = _spawn_python(*args)
+        return _kill_python(p)
 
     def exit_code(self, *args):
         cmd_line = [sys.executable]
@@ -72,6 +79,17 @@
             self.exit_code('-m', 'timeit', '-n', '1'),
             0)
 
+    def test_run_module_bug1764407(self):
+        # -m and -i need to play well together
+        # Runs the timeit module and checks the __main__
+        # namespace has been populated appropriately
+        p = _spawn_python('-i', '-m', 'timeit', '-n', '1')
+        p.stdin.write('Timer\n')
+        p.stdin.write('exit()\n')
+        data = _kill_python(p)
+        self.assertTrue(data.startswith('1 loop'))
+        self.assertTrue('__main__.Timer' in data)
+
     def test_run_code(self):
         # Test expected operation of the '-c' switch
         # Switch needs an argument
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_runpy.py b/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
index 9de9811..dfefee9 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import sys
 import tempfile
 from test.test_support import verbose, run_unittest, forget
-from runpy import _run_module_code, run_module
+from runpy import _run_code, _run_module_code, _run_module_as_main, run_module
 
 # Set up the test code and expected results
 
@@ -26,10 +26,19 @@
         "   module_in_sys_modules = globals() is sys.modules[__name__].__dict__\n"
         "# Check nested operation\n"
         "import runpy\n"
-        "nested = runpy._run_module_code('x=1\\n', mod_name='<run>',\n"
-        "                                          alter_sys=True)\n"
+        "nested = runpy._run_module_code('x=1\\n', mod_name='<run>')\n"
     )
 
+    def test_run_code(self):
+        saved_argv0 = sys.argv[0]
+        d = _run_code(self.test_source, {})
+        self.failUnless(d["result"] == self.expected_result)
+        self.failUnless(d["__name__"] is None)
+        self.failUnless(d["__file__"] is None)
+        self.failUnless(d["__loader__"] is None)
+        self.failUnless(d["run_argv0"] is saved_argv0)
+        self.failUnless("run_name" not in d)
+        self.failUnless(sys.argv[0] is saved_argv0)
 
     def test_run_module_code(self):
         initial = object()
@@ -42,8 +51,7 @@
                               d1,
                               name,
                               file,
-                              loader,
-                              True)
+                              loader)
         self.failUnless("result" not in d1)
         self.failUnless(d2["initial"] is initial)
         self.failUnless(d2["result"] == self.expected_result)
@@ -57,16 +65,6 @@
         self.failUnless(sys.argv[0] is saved_argv0)
         self.failUnless(name not in sys.modules)
 
-    def test_run_module_code_defaults(self):
-        saved_argv0 = sys.argv[0]
-        d = _run_module_code(self.test_source)
-        self.failUnless(d["result"] == self.expected_result)
-        self.failUnless(d["__name__"] is None)
-        self.failUnless(d["__file__"] is None)
-        self.failUnless(d["__loader__"] is None)
-        self.failUnless(d["run_argv0"] is saved_argv0)
-        self.failUnless("run_name" not in d)
-        self.failUnless(sys.argv[0] is saved_argv0)
 
 class RunModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):