diff --git a/Python/sysmodule.c b/Python/sysmodule.c
index 6aa3cdb..91fe224 100644
--- a/Python/sysmodule.c
+++ b/Python/sysmodule.c
@@ -1528,7 +1528,7 @@
 }
 
 void
-PySys_SetArgv(int argc, char **argv)
+PySys_SetArgvEx(int argc, char **argv, int updatepath)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_REALPATH)
     char fullpath[MAXPATHLEN];
@@ -1541,7 +1541,7 @@
         Py_FatalError("no mem for sys.argv");
     if (PySys_SetObject("argv", av) != 0)
         Py_FatalError("can't assign sys.argv");
-    if (path != NULL) {
+    if (updatepath && path != NULL) {
         char *argv0 = argv[0];
         char *p = NULL;
         Py_ssize_t n = 0;
@@ -1631,6 +1631,12 @@
     Py_DECREF(av);
 }
 
+void
+PySys_SetArgv(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    PySys_SetArgvEx(argc, argv, 1);
+}
+
 
 /* APIs to write to sys.stdout or sys.stderr using a printf-like interface.
    Adapted from code submitted by Just van Rossum.