diff --git a/_pytest/unittest.py b/_pytest/unittest.py
index 0126ff838..34eb9885b 100644
--- a/_pytest/unittest.py
+++ b/_pytest/unittest.py
@@ -151,22 +151,30 @@ class TestCaseFunction(pytest.Function):
     def stopTest(self, testcase):
         pass
 
+    def _handle_skip(self):
+        # implements the skipping machinery (see #2137)
+        # analog to pythons Lib/unittest/case.py:run
+        testMethod = getattr(self._testcase, self._testcase._testMethodName)
+        if (getattr(self._testcase.__class__, "__unittest_skip__", False) or
+            getattr(testMethod, "__unittest_skip__", False)):
+            # If the class or method was skipped.
+            skip_why = (getattr(self._testcase.__class__, '__unittest_skip_why__', '') or
+                        getattr(testMethod, '__unittest_skip_why__', ''))
+            try:  # PY3, unittest2 on PY2
+                self._testcase._addSkip(self, self._testcase, skip_why)
+            except TypeError:  # PY2
+                if sys.version_info[0] != 2:
+                    raise
+                self._testcase._addSkip(self, skip_why)
+            return True
+        return False
+
     def runtest(self):
         if self.config.pluginmanager.get_plugin("pdbinvoke") is None:
             self._testcase(result=self)
         else:
             # disables tearDown and cleanups for post mortem debugging (see #1890)
-            # but still implements the skipping machinery (see #2137)
-            testMethod = getattr(self._testcase, self._testcase._testMethodName)
-            if (getattr(self._testcase.__class__, "__unittest_skip__", False) or
-                getattr(testMethod, "__unittest_skip__", False)):
-                # If the class or method was skipped.
-                skip_why = (getattr(self._testcase.__class__, '__unittest_skip_why__', '') or
-                            getattr(testMethod, '__unittest_skip_why__', ''))
-                try:
-                    self._testcase._addSkip(self, self._testcase, skip_why)
-                except TypeError:  # PY2
-                    self._testcase._addSkip(self, skip_why)
+            if self._handle_skip():
                 return
             self._testcase.debug()
 
diff --git a/testing/test_pdb.py b/testing/test_pdb.py
index 8a2efdb87..52a75d916 100644
--- a/testing/test_pdb.py
+++ b/testing/test_pdb.py
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_unittest_skip(self, testdir):
+        """Test for issue #2137"""
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
             import unittest
             @unittest.skipIf(True, 'Skipping also with pdb active')