diff --git a/tests/model_regress/tests.py b/tests/model_regress/tests.py
index c1e864c270..71ccb071d2 100644
--- a/tests/model_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/model_regress/tests.py
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 
 import datetime
 from operator import attrgetter
+import sys
 
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.test import TestCase, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils import tzinfo
-from django.db import router
+from django.utils import unittest
+from django.db import connection, router
 from django.db.models.sql import InsertQuery
 
 from .models import (Worker, Article, Party, Event, Department,
@@ -131,6 +133,11 @@ class ModelTests(TestCase):
                 attrgetter("when")
        )
 
+    if (3,) <= sys.version_info < (3, 3) and connection.vendor == 'mysql':
+        # In Python < 3.3, datetime.strftime raises an exception for years
+        # below 1000, and existing MySQL DB-API drivers hit this problem.
+        test_date_lookup = unittest.expectedFailure(test_date_lookup)
+
     def test_date_filter_null(self):
         # Date filtering was failing with NULL date values in SQLite
         # (regression test for #3501, amongst other things).