diff --git a/python-2.7.2-disable-tests-in-test_io.patch b/python-2.7.2-disable-tests-in-test_io.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d81a2d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python-2.7.2-disable-tests-in-test_io.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+diff -up Python-2.7.2/Lib/test/test_io.py.disable-tests-in-test_io Python-2.7.2/Lib/test/test_io.py
+--- Python-2.7.2/Lib/test/test_io.py.disable-tests-in-test_io	2011-09-01 14:18:45.963304089 -0400
++++ Python-2.7.2/Lib/test/test_io.py	2011-09-01 15:08:53.796098413 -0400
+@@ -2669,6 +2669,7 @@ class SignalsTest(unittest.TestCase):
+         self.check_interrupted_read_retry(lambda x: x,
+                                           mode="r")
+ 
++    @unittest.skip('rhbz#732998')
+     @unittest.skipUnless(threading, 'Threading required for this test.')
+     def check_interrupted_write_retry(self, item, **fdopen_kwargs):
+         """Check that a buffered write, when it gets interrupted (either
diff --git a/python.spec b/python.spec
index b63152f..fbc987e 100644
--- a/python.spec
+++ b/python.spec
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ Summary: An interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language
 Name: %{python}
 # Remember to also rebase python-docs when changing this:
 Version: 2.7.2
-Release: 8%{?dist}
+Release: 9%{?dist}
 License: Python
 Group: Development/Languages
 Requires: %{python}-libs%{?_isa} = %{version}-%{release}
@@ -498,6 +498,12 @@ Patch129: python-2.7.2-tsc-on-ppc.patch
 # Not yet sent upstream
 Patch130: python-2.7.2-add-extension-suffix-to-python-config.patch
 
+# The four tests in test_io built on top of check_interrupted_write_retry
+# fail when built in Koji, for ppc and ppc64; for some reason, the SIGALRM
+# handlers are never called, and the call to write runs to completion
+# (rhbz#732998)
+Patch131: python-2.7.2-disable-tests-in-test_io.patch
+
 # This is the generated patch to "configure"; see the description of
 #   %{regenerate_autotooling_patch}
 # above:
@@ -741,6 +747,10 @@ rm -r Modules/zlib || exit 1
 %patch129 -p1 -b .tsc-on-ppc
 %patch130 -p1
 
+%ifarch ppc ppc64
+%patch131 -p1
+%endif
+
 # This shouldn't be necesarry, but is right now (2.2a3)
 find -name "*~" |xargs rm -f
 
@@ -1409,7 +1419,7 @@ CheckPython() {
 
   pushd $ConfDir
 
-  EXTRATESTOPTS="--verbose3"
+  EXTRATESTOPTS="--verbose"
 
 %if 0%{?with_huntrleaks}
   # Try to detect reference leaks on debug builds.  By default this means
@@ -1796,6 +1806,10 @@ rm -fr %{buildroot}
 # ======================================================
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Sep  1 2011 David Malcolm <dmalcolm@redhat.com> - 2.7.2-9
+- run selftests with "--verbose"
+- disable parts of test_io on ppc (rhbz#732998)
+
 * Tue Aug 23 2011 David Malcolm <dmalcolm@redhat.com> - 2.7.2-8
 - add --extension-suffix option to python-config (patch 130; rhbz#732808)