diff --git a/Lib/test/test_socket.py b/Lib/test/test_socket.py
index f2bc52ba6e8701..dc8a4a44f37e65 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_socket.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_socket.py
@@ -5334,6 +5334,8 @@ def _testMakefileClose(self):
         self.write_file.write(self.write_msg)
         self.write_file.flush()
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(sys, 'getrefcount'),
+                         'test needs sys.getrefcount()')
     def testMakefileCloseSocketDestroy(self):
         refcount_before = sys.getrefcount(self.cli_conn)
         self.read_file.close()