Index: subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/README
===================================================================
--- subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/README	(revision 13734)
+++ subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/README	(working copy)
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 
 These tests require Python 2.0 or later.
 
+  [ Please make sure that the environment variable- POSIXLY_CORRECT,
+    is unset before executing the tests. ]
+
   [ For more general information on Subversion's testing system,
     please read the README in subversion/tests/. ]
 
Index: subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/svntest/main.py
===================================================================
--- subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/svntest/main.py	(revision 13734)
+++ subversion/tests/clients/cmdline/svntest/main.py	(working copy)
@@ -586,8 +586,14 @@
   os.environ['SVN_EDITOR'] = ''
 
   try:
-    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'v',
+    # gnu_getopt is available from python 2.3 upwards 
+    major, minor, rest = string.split(sys.version, ".", 2)
+    if major >= 2 and minor >= 3:
+      opts, args = getopt.gnu_getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'v',
                                ['url=', 'fs-type=', 'verbose', 'cleanup'])
+    else:
+      opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'v',
+                               ['url=', 'fs-type=', 'verbose', 'cleanup'])
   except getopt.GetoptError:
     args = []