diff --git a/Lib/platform.py b/Lib/platform.py
index 2a69fd6..8447d41 100755
--- a/Lib/platform.py
+++ b/Lib/platform.py
@@ -729,7 +729,11 @@
             release = '%i.%i.%i' %(major, minor, patch)
         else:
             release = '%s.%i.%i' % (_bcd2str(major),minor,patch)
+
     if sysu:
+        # NOTE: this block is left as documentation of the
+        # intention of this function, the 'sysu' gestalt is no
+        # longer available and there are no alternatives.
         major =  int((sysu & 0xFF000000) >> 24)
         minor =  (sysu & 0x00F00000) >> 20
         bugfix = (sysu & 0x000F0000) >> 16
@@ -742,6 +746,8 @@
                  0x60:'beta',
                  0x80:'final'}.get(stage,'')
         versioninfo = (version,stage,nonrel)
+
+
     if sysa:
         machine = {0x1: '68k',
                    0x2: 'PowerPC',
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_platform.py b/Lib/test/test_platform.py
index 3758060..bc02d1e 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_platform.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_platform.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import sys
+import os
 import unittest
 import platform
 
@@ -63,12 +64,29 @@
 
     def test_mac_ver(self):
         res = platform.mac_ver()
-        try:
-            import gestalt
-        except ImportError: pass
-        else:
-            if sys.platform == 'darwin':
-                self.assert_(all(res))
+
+        if os.uname()[0] == 'Darwin':
+            # We're on a MacOSX system, check that
+            # the right version information is returned
+            fd = os.popen('sw_vers', 'r')
+            real_ver = None
+            for ln in fd:
+                if ln.startswith('ProductVersion:'):
+                    real_ver = ln.strip().split()[-1]
+                    break
+            fd.close()
+            self.failIf(real_ver is None)
+            self.assertEquals(res[0], real_ver)
+
+            # res[1] claims to contain
+            # (version, dev_stage, non_release_version)
+            # That information is no longer available
+            self.assertEquals(res[1], ('', '', ''))
+
+            if sys.byteorder == 'little':
+                self.assertEquals(res[2], 'i386')
+            else:
+                self.assertEquals(res[2], 'PowerPC')
 
     def test_dist(self):
         res = platform.dist()