diff --git a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_unittest.py b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_unittest.py
index 3572dadf6..3d92ce0c5 100644
--- a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_unittest.py
+++ b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_unittest.py
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@ import sys
 def pytest_pycollect_makeitem(collector, name, obj):
     if 'unittest' not in sys.modules:
         return # nobody could have possibly derived a subclass 
-    if py.std.inspect.isclass(obj) and issubclass(obj, py.std.unittest.TestCase):
-        return UnitTestCase(name, parent=collector)
+    try:
+        isunit = issubclass(obj, py.std.unittest.TestCase)
+    except TypeError:
+        pass
+    else:
+        if isunit:
+            return UnitTestCase(name, parent=collector)
 
 class UnitTestCase(py.test.collect.Class):
     def collect(self):
diff --git a/doc/changelog.txt b/doc/changelog.txt
index d737a35ff..bb8d53097 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.txt
+++ b/doc/changelog.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 Changes between 1.0.2 and '1.1.0b1'
 =====================================
 
+* fix issue #59 - robustify unittest test collection
+
 * make bpython/help interaction work by adding an __all__ attribute 
   to ApiModule, cleanup initpkg
 
diff --git a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_unittest.py b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_unittest.py
index 3a87b3140..a43cb0326 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_unittest.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_unittest.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import py
 
-
 def test_simple_unittest(testdir):
     testpath = testdir.makepyfile("""
         import unittest
@@ -15,6 +14,17 @@ def test_simple_unittest(testdir):
     assert reprec.matchreport("testpassing").passed
     assert reprec.matchreport("test_failing").failed 
 
+def test_isclasscheck_issue53(testdir):
+    testpath = testdir.makepyfile("""
+        import unittest
+        class _E(object):
+            def __getattr__(self, tag):
+                pass
+        E = _E()
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(testpath)
+    assert result.ret == 0
+
 def test_setup(testdir):
     testpath = testdir.makepyfile(test_two="""
         import unittest