diff --git a/Lib/unittest/async_case.py b/Lib/unittest/async_case.py
index a90eed98f87140..3457e92e5da298 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/async_case.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/async_case.py
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ async def enterAsyncContext(self, cm):
         return result
 
     def _callSetUp(self):
+        # Force loop to be initialized and set as the current loop
+        # so that setUp functions can use get_event_loop() and get the
+        # correct loop instance.
+        self._asyncioRunner.get_loop()
         self._asyncioTestContext.run(self.setUp)
         self._callAsync(self.asyncSetUp)