Index: lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/util/TestRuleSetupAndRestoreInstanceEnv.java
===================================================================
--- lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/util/TestRuleSetupAndRestoreInstanceEnv.java	(revision 1345628)
+++ lucene/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/lucene/util/TestRuleSetupAndRestoreInstanceEnv.java	(working copy)
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@
           "Method not allowed to use postings format: " + pf.getName() + ".");
     }
     
+    // user uses -DpostingsFormat=xxx but test cannot work with it
+    if (LuceneTestCase.shouldAvoidCodec(LuceneTestCase.TEST_POSTINGSFORMAT)) {
+      throw new AssumptionViolatedException(
+          "Method not allowed to use postings format: " + LuceneTestCase.TEST_POSTINGSFORMAT + ".");
+    }
+    
   }
 
   protected void after() {