diff --git a/tests/unit/test_modulegraph/test_modulegraph.py b/tests/unit/test_modulegraph/test_modulegraph.py
index 62e0843e9a..1877cb891a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_modulegraph/test_modulegraph.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_modulegraph/test_modulegraph.py
@@ -699,71 +699,6 @@ def test_determine_parent(self):
     def test_find_head_package(self):
         self.fail("find_head_package")
 
-    def test_load_tail(self):
-        # XXX: This test is dodgy!
-
-        class MockedModuleGraph(modulegraph.ModuleGraph):
-            def _safe_import_module(self, partname, fqname, parent):
-                record.append((partname, fqname, parent))
-                if partname == 'raises' or '.raises.' in fqname:
-                    # FIXME: original _load_tail returned a MissingModule if
-                    # _import_module did return None. PyInstaller changed this
-                    # in cae47e4f5b51a94ac3ceb5d093283ba0cc895589
-                    return self.createNode(modulegraph.MissingModule, fqname)
-                return modulegraph.Node(fqname)
-
-        graph = MockedModuleGraph()
-
-        record = []
-        root = modulegraph.Node('root')
-        m = graph._load_tail(root, '')
-        self.assertTrue(m is root)
-        self.assertEqual(record, [
-            ])
-
-        record = []
-        root = modulegraph.Node('root')
-        m = graph._load_tail(root, 'sub')
-        self.assertFalse(m is root)
-        self.assertEqual(record, [
-                ('sub', 'root.sub', root),
-            ])
-
-        record = []
-        root = modulegraph.Node('root')
-        m = graph._load_tail(root, 'sub.sub1')
-        self.assertFalse(m is root)
-        node = modulegraph.Node('root.sub')
-        self.assertEqual(record, [
-                ('sub', 'root.sub', root),
-                ('sub1', 'root.sub.sub1', node),
-            ])
-
-        record = []
-        root = modulegraph.Node('root')
-        m = graph._load_tail(root, 'sub.sub1.sub2')
-        self.assertFalse(m is root)
-        node = modulegraph.Node('root.sub')
-        node2 = modulegraph.Node('root.sub.sub1')
-        self.assertEqual(record, [
-                ('sub', 'root.sub', root),
-                ('sub1', 'root.sub.sub1', node),
-                ('sub2', 'root.sub.sub1.sub2', node2),
-            ])
-
-        n = graph._load_tail(root, 'raises')
-        self.assertIsInstance(n, modulegraph.MissingModule)
-        self.assertEqual(n.identifier, 'root.raises')
-
-        n = graph._load_tail(root, 'sub.raises')
-        self.assertIsInstance(n, modulegraph.MissingModule)
-        self.assertEqual(n.identifier, 'root.sub.raises')
-
-        n = graph._load_tail(root, 'sub.raises.sub')
-        self.assertIsInstance(n, modulegraph.MissingModule)
-        self.assertEqual(n.identifier, 'root.sub.raises.sub')
-
-
 
     @expectedFailure
     def test_ensure_fromlist(self):