diff --git a/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py b/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py
index 9a80674..ae3618f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py
@@ -1509,15 +1509,16 @@
             Handler, nntplib.NNTPPermanentError, authinfo_response,
             login, password)
 
-if ssl is not None:
-    class MockSslTests(MockSocketTests):
-        class nntp_class(nntplib.NNTP_SSL):
-            def __init__(self, *pos, **kw):
-                class bypass_context:
-                    """Bypass encryption and actual SSL module"""
-                    def wrap_socket(sock, **args):
-                        return sock
-                return super().__init__(*pos, ssl_context=bypass_context, **kw)
+class bypass_context:
+    """Bypass encryption and actual SSL module"""
+    def wrap_socket(sock, **args):
+        return sock
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(ssl, 'requires SSL support')
+class MockSslTests(MockSocketTests):
+    @staticmethod
+    def nntp_class(*pos, **kw):
+        return nntplib.NNTP_SSL(*pos, ssl_context=bypass_context, **kw)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":