diff --git a/test/__init__.py b/test/__init__.py
index d56b3499..8b18553c 100644
--- a/test/__init__.py
+++ b/test/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 # Copyright 2017 Palantir Technologies, Inc.
+import sys
 import pytest
 from pyls import IS_WIN
 
+IS_PY3 = sys.version_info.major == 3
+
 unix_only = pytest.mark.skipif(IS_WIN, reason="Unix only")
 windows_only = pytest.mark.skipif(not IS_WIN, reason="Windows only")
+py3_only = pytest.mark.skipif(not IS_PY3, reason="Python3 only")
+py2_only = pytest.mark.skipif(IS_PY3, reason="Python2 only")
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_pylint_lint.py b/test/plugins/test_pylint_lint.py
index 186902a5..b0d85fdc 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_pylint_lint.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_pylint_lint.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import os
 import tempfile
 
+from test import py2_only, py3_only
 from pyls import lsp, uris
 from pyls.workspace import Document
 from pyls.plugins import pylint_lint
@@ -49,7 +50,19 @@ def test_pylint(config):
         assert unused_import['severity'] == lsp.DiagnosticSeverity.Warning
 
 
-def test_syntax_error_pylint(config):
+@py3_only
+def test_syntax_error_pylint_py3(config):
+    with temp_document(DOC_SYNTAX_ERR) as doc:
+        diag = pylint_lint.pyls_lint(config, doc, True)[0]
+
+        assert diag['message'].startswith('[syntax-error] invalid syntax')
+        # Pylint doesn't give column numbers for invalid syntax.
+        assert diag['range']['start'] == {'line': 0, 'character': 12}
+        assert diag['severity'] == lsp.DiagnosticSeverity.Error
+
+
+@py2_only
+def test_syntax_error_pylint_py2(config):
     with temp_document(DOC_SYNTAX_ERR) as doc:
         diag = pylint_lint.pyls_lint(config, doc, True)[0]