diff --git a/tests/integration/test_cluster.py b/tests/integration/test_cluster.py
index 1c1e3bf8..6bd66d29 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_cluster.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_cluster.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
 
 from cassandra.cluster import Cluster, NoHostAvailable
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_connection.py b/tests/integration/test_connection.py
index 0f761ca8..e16a0348 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_connection.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from functools import partial
 from threading import Thread, Event
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_metadata.py b/tests/integration/test_metadata.py
index 54bbdc14..fe47b57a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_metadata.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_metadata.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
 
 from cassandra.cluster import Cluster
 from cassandra.metadata import TableMetadata, Token, MD5Token, TokenMap
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_prepared_statements.py b/tests/integration/test_prepared_statements.py
index 0db37ba8..2336f4c9 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_prepared_statements.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_prepared_statements.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
 
 from cassandra.cluster import Cluster
 from cassandra.query import PreparedStatement
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_types.py b/tests/integration/test_types.py
index 89ea5070..2f74d1db 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_types.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_types.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from decimal import Decimal
 from datetime import datetime
 from uuid import uuid1, uuid4
-import unittest
 
 from cassandra.cluster import Cluster
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py b/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
index de395bee..cfc4a52a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 import errno
 from StringIO import StringIO
 from socket import error as socket_error
-import unittest
 
 from mock import patch, Mock
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
index ce20ef3f..ee953f21 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from StringIO import StringIO
-import unittest
 
 from mock import Mock, ANY
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_control_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_control_connection.py
index 74de542c..0635c9e1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_control_connection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_control_connection.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
 
 from mock import Mock, ANY
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_host_connection_pool.py b/tests/unit/test_host_connection_pool.py
index 963762db..5a2bbf3f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_host_connection_pool.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_host_connection_pool.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from mock import Mock, NonCallableMagicMock
 from threading import Thread, Event
-import unittest
 
 from cassandra.cluster import Session
 from cassandra.connection import Connection, MAX_STREAM_PER_CONNECTION
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_marshalling.py b/tests/unit/test_marshalling.py
index 9abb8547..f7ca45d6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_marshalling.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_marshalling.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from datetime import datetime
 from decimal import Decimal
 from uuid import UUID
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py b/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
index 76dfcdc8..7047f594 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
 
 from cassandra.query import bind_params, ValueSequence
 from cassandra.query import PreparedStatement, BoundStatement
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_policies.py b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
index 46b16b62..90e679de 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_policies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from itertools import islice, cycle
 from mock import Mock
 import struct
 from threading import Thread
-import unittest
 
 from cassandra import ConsistencyLevel
 from cassandra.cluster import Cluster
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_response_future.py b/tests/unit/test_response_future.py
index bc1e0fa4..129a1697 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_response_future.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_response_future.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import unittest
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
 from mock import Mock, MagicMock, ANY
 
 from cassandra import ConsistencyLevel