diff --git a/letsencrypt/tests/cli_test.py b/letsencrypt/tests/cli_test.py
index 13470dbb2..fd00c4465 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/tests/cli_test.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/tests/cli_test.py
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ CERT = test_util.vector_path('cert.pem')
 CSR = test_util.vector_path('csr.der')
 KEY = test_util.vector_path('rsa256_key.pem')
 
+def hack(x):
+    return x
+
 
 class CLITest(unittest.TestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
     """Tests for different commands."""
@@ -601,7 +604,11 @@ class CLITest(unittest.TestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
             print "Logs:"
             print lf.read()
 
-    def test_renewal_verb(self):
+
+    # Work around https://bugs.python.org/issue1515 for py26 tests :( :(
+    # https://travis-ci.org/letsencrypt/letsencrypt/jobs/106900743#L3276
+    @mock.patch('letsencrypt.cli.copy.deepcopy')
+    def test_renewal_verb(self, hack_copy):
 
         with open(test_util.vector_path('sample-renewal.conf')) as src:
             # put the correct path for cert.pem, chain.pem etc in the renewal conf
@@ -611,12 +618,9 @@ class CLITest(unittest.TestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
         rc = os.path.join(rd, "sample-renewal.conf")
         with open(rc, "w") as dest:
             dest.write(renewal_conf)
-
-        # Work around https://bugs.python.org/issue1515 for py26 tests :( :(
-        # https://travis-ci.org/letsencrypt/letsencrypt/jobs/106900743#L3276
-        with mock.patch('letsencrypt.cli.copy.deepcopy', side_effect=lambda x: x) as hack:
-            args = ["renew", "--dry-run", "-tvv"]
-            self._test_renewal_common(True, [], args=args, renew=True)
+        hack_copy.side_effect = hack
+        args = ["renew", "--dry-run", "-tvv"]
+        self._test_renewal_common(True, [], args=args, renew=True)
 
     @mock.patch('letsencrypt.cli.zope.component.getUtility')
     @mock.patch('letsencrypt.cli._treat_as_renewal')