diff --git a/Lib/test/test_compile.py b/Lib/test/test_compile.py
index e976a30..3801cac 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_compile.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_compile.py
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
     pass
 
 import __builtin__
+prev = __builtin__.__debug__
 setattr(__builtin__, '__debug__', 'sure')
+setattr(__builtin__, '__debug__', prev)
 
 if verbose:
     print 'Running tests on argument handling'