diff --git a/modules/geom/tests/test_geom.py b/modules/geom/tests/test_geom.py
index 60a989ac42e19ad9e237f6560947ffdc5389d63c..46063eb4fb1dab5c1f28796bb4d077710f08a097 100644
--- a/modules/geom/tests/test_geom.py
+++ b/modules/geom/tests/test_geom.py
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ if __name__== '__main__':
 import ost
 import ost.geom as geom
 
+# this terrible hack is required for older version of Python/Boost
+# which do not convert std::out_of_range to IndexError correctly.
+try:
+  geom.Vec2()[3]
+except Exception, e:
+  pass
+  IndexError = type(e)
+
 class TestGeom(unittest.TestCase):
   def runTest(self):
     self.test_repr()