diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/transactions_regress/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/transactions_regress/tests.py
index 5d1ab2c6f6..01f4a90559 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/transactions_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/transactions_regress/tests.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from django.db import connection, connections, transaction, DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS, Da
 from django.db.transaction import commit_on_success, commit_manually, TransactionManagementError
 from django.test import TransactionTestCase, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
-from django.utils.unittest import skipIf, skipUnless
+from django.utils.unittest import skipIf, skipUnless, SkipTest
 
 from .models import Mod, M2mA, M2mB
 
@@ -247,11 +247,13 @@ class SavepointTest(TransactionTestCase):
 
         work()
 
-    @skipIf(connection.vendor == 'mysql' and \
-            connection.features._mysql_storage_engine == 'MyISAM',
-            "MyISAM MySQL storage engine doesn't support savepoints")
     @skipUnlessDBFeature('uses_savepoints')
     def test_savepoint_rollback(self):
+        # _mysql_storage_engine issues a query and as such can't be applied in
+        # a skipIf decorator since that would execute the query on module load.
+        if (connection.vendor == 'mysql' and
+            connection.features._mysql_storage_engine == 'MyISAM'):
+            raise SkipTest("MyISAM MySQL storage engine doesn't support savepoints")
         @commit_manually
         def work():
             mod = Mod.objects.create(fld=1)