diff --git a/django/contrib/auth/models.py b/django/contrib/auth/models.py
index b8c58ebbb3..e337bec262 100644
--- a/django/contrib/auth/models.py
+++ b/django/contrib/auth/models.py
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ class UserManager(models.Manager):
         u.is_active = True
         u.is_superuser = True
         u.save()
+        return u
 
     def make_random_password(self, length=10, allowed_chars='abcdefghjkmnpqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ23456789'):
         "Generates a random password with the given length and given allowed_chars"
diff --git a/django/contrib/auth/tests/basic.py b/django/contrib/auth/tests/basic.py
index 2071710279..0b49a45728 100644
--- a/django/contrib/auth/tests/basic.py
+++ b/django/contrib/auth/tests/basic.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ True
 False
 >>> u.is_active
 True
+>>> u.is_superuser
+False
 
 >>> a = AnonymousUser()
 >>> a.is_authenticated()
@@ -32,11 +34,22 @@ False
 False
 >>> a.is_active
 False
+>>> a.is_superuser
+False
 >>> a.groups.all()
 []
 >>> a.user_permissions.all()
 []
 
+# superuser tests.
+>>> super = User.objects.create_superuser('super', 'super@example.com', 'super')
+>>> super.is_superuser
+True
+>>> super.is_active
+True
+>>> super.is_staff
+True
+
 #
 # Tests for createsuperuser management command.
 # It's nearly impossible to test the interactive mode -- a command test helper