diff --git a/test/basetest/__init__.py b/test/basetest/__init__.py
index 612335ca9..5933ba5c8 100644
--- a/test/basetest/__init__.py
+++ b/test/basetest/__init__.py
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
 
 from .task import Task
 from .taskd import Taskd
+from .testing import TestCase
 
 # vim: ai sts=4 et sw=4
diff --git a/test/basetest/testing.py b/test/basetest/testing.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8e03e9c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/basetest/testing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import unittest
+import sys
+
+
+class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def diag(self, out):
+        sys.stdout.write("# --- diag start ---\n")
+        for line in out.split("\n"):
+            sys.stdout.write("#" + line + "\n")
+        sys.stdout.write("# ---  diag end  ---\n")
+
+
+# vim: ai sts=4 et sw=4
diff --git a/test/bug.1254.t b/test/bug.1254.t
index 4ece13ff6..4ca59a8ab 100755
--- a/test/bug.1254.t
+++ b/test/bug.1254.t
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ import unittest
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap and basetest modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class TestBug1254(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBug1254(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.t = Task()
 
diff --git a/test/bug.1267.t b/test/bug.1267.t
index b582337fc..d6f300ad8 100755
--- a/test/bug.1267.t
+++ b/test/bug.1267.t
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ import unittest
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap and basetest modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class TestBug1267(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBug1267(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.t = Task()
 
diff --git a/test/bug.360.t b/test/bug.360.t
index cc9185241..1faa5d620 100755
--- a/test/bug.360.t
+++ b/test/bug.360.t
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ import unittest
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap and basetest modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class BaseTestBug360(unittest.TestCase):
+class BaseTestBug360(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         """Executed before each test in the class"""
         self.t = Task()
diff --git a/test/template.t b/test/template.t
index b050ef5d9..d9bea04ce 100755
--- a/test/template.t
+++ b/test/template.t
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ from datetime import datetime
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap module
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task, Taskd
+from basetest import Task, Taskd, TestCase
 
 
-class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBugNumber(TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         """Executed once before any test in the class"""
diff --git a/test/tw-1300.t b/test/tw-1300.t
index 100645d7c..36ff52b2e 100755
--- a/test/tw-1300.t
+++ b/test/tw-1300.t
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ import unittest
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap and basetest modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class TestBug1300(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBug1300(TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUp(cls):
         cls.t = Task()
diff --git a/test/tw-1306.t b/test/tw-1306.t
index 4574a1925..ad8b23873 100755
--- a/test/tw-1306.t
+++ b/test/tw-1306.t
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ import os
 import unittest
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class TestBug1306(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestBug1306(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.t = Task()
 
diff --git a/test/tw-285.t b/test/tw-285.t
index 67ddc9251..f667dd68c 100755
--- a/test/tw-285.t
+++ b/test/tw-285.t
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ import unittest
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap and basetest modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class Test285(unittest.TestCase):
+class Test285(TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         cls.t = Task()
diff --git a/test/version.t b/test/version.t
index e392e9eb9..5aa486f67 100755
--- a/test/version.t
+++ b/test/version.t
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ from datetime import datetime
 # Ensure python finds the local simpletap module
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-from basetest import Task
+from basetest import Task, TestCase
 
 
-class TestVersion(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestVersion(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.t = Task()