--- a/tests/test.py	Thu Mar 01 15:04:27 2012 -0800
+++ b/tests/test.py	Thu Mar 01 15:28:34 2012 -0800
@@ -9,8 +9,18 @@
 import shutil
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import virtualenv
 from optparse import OptionParser
 
+def create_virtualenv(path):
+    """create a virtualenv and return the path to the python interpreter therein"""
+    virtualenv.create_environment(path)
+    for python in (('bin', 'python'), ('Scripts', 'python.exe')):
+        python = os.path.join(path, *python)
+        if os.path.exists(python):
+            return python
+    raise Exception("Python binary not found in %s" % path)
+
 def run_tests(raise_on_error=False, report_first=False):
 
     # add results here
@@ -18,7 +28,7 @@
 
     # doctest arguments
     directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-    extraglobs = {'here': directory}
+    extraglobs = {'here': directory, 'create_virtualenv': create_virtualenv}
     doctest_args = dict(extraglobs=extraglobs, raise_on_error=raise_on_error)
     if report_first:
         doctest_args['optionflags'] = doctest.REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE