diff --git a/test/simpletap/__init__.py b/test/simpletap/__init__.py
index 8792c6c74..17aeee95e 100644
--- a/test/simpletap/__init__.py
+++ b/test/simpletap/__init__.py
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ class TAPTestResult(unittest.result.TestResult):
         if self.descriptions and doc_first_line:
             return doc_first_line
         else:
-            return "{0} ({1})".format(test._testMethodName, test.__class__.__name__)
+            try:
+                method = test._testMethodName
+            except AttributeError:
+                return "Preparation error on: {0}".format(test.description)
+            else:
+                return "{0} ({1})".format(method, test.__class__.__name__)
 
     def startTestRun(self, total="unk"):
         self.stream.writeln("1..{0}".format(total))