diff --git a/eventlet/patcher.py b/eventlet/patcher.py
index 4b33ae6..1383d87 100644
--- a/eventlet/patcher.py
+++ b/eventlet/patcher.py
@@ -81,6 +81,15 @@ def import_patched(module_name, *additional_modules, **kw_additional_modules):
 def patch_function(func, *additional_modules):
     """Huge hack here -- patches the specified modules for the 
     duration of the function call."""
+    if not additional_modules:
+        # supply some defaults
+        additional_modules = (
+            _green_os_modules() +
+            _green_select_modules() +
+            _green_socket_modules() +
+            _green_thread_modules() + 
+            _green_time_modules())
+
     def patched(*args, **kw):
         saved = {}
         for name, mod in additional_modules:
diff --git a/tests/stdlib/test_socket_ssl.py b/tests/stdlib/test_socket_ssl.py
index d418e1a..72a1d7b 100644
--- a/tests/stdlib/test_socket_ssl.py
+++ b/tests/stdlib/test_socket_ssl.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 from eventlet import patcher
 from eventlet.green import socket
-from eventlet.green import urllib
-from eventlet.green import threading
 
 # enable network resource
 import test.test_support
@@ -21,16 +19,10 @@ try:
 except AttributeError:
     raise ImportError("Socket module doesn't support ssl")
 
-patcher.inject('test.test_socket_ssl',
-    globals(),
-    ('socket', socket),
-    ('urllib', urllib),
-    ('threading', threading))
+patcher.inject('test.test_socket_ssl', globals())
 
-test_basic = patcher.patch_function(test_basic, 
-    ('urllib', urllib))    
-test_rude_shutdown = patcher.patch_function(test_rude_shutdown, 
-    ('threading', threading))
+test_basic = patcher.patch_function(test_basic)
+test_rude_shutdown = patcher.patch_function(test_rude_shutdown)
 
 def test_main():
     if not hasattr(socket, "ssl"):