diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 20d3d47d059..c03ae1a997e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ Lib/site-packages/*
 Lib/test/data/*
 !Lib/test/data/README
 cpython/
+
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_timeit.py b/Lib/test/test_timeit.py
index 72a104fc1a6..2aeebea9f93 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_timeit.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_timeit.py
@@ -222,8 +222,8 @@ def test_repeat_function_zero_iters(self):
     def assert_exc_string(self, exc_string, expected_exc_name):
         exc_lines = exc_string.splitlines()
         self.assertGreater(len(exc_lines), 2)
-        self.assertTrue(exc_lines[0].startswith('Traceback'))
-        self.assertTrue(exc_lines[-1].startswith(expected_exc_name))
+        self.assertStartsWith(exc_lines[0], 'Traceback')
+        self.assertStartsWith(exc_lines[-1], expected_exc_name)
 
     def test_print_exc(self):
         s = io.StringIO()
@@ -297,9 +297,7 @@ def test_main_negative_reps(self):
     @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.optimize >= 2, "need __doc__")
     def test_main_help(self):
         s = self.run_main(switches=['-h'])
-        # Note: It's not clear that the trailing space was intended as part of
-        # the help text, but since it's there, check for it.
-        self.assertEqual(s, timeit.__doc__ + ' ')
+        self.assertEqual(s, timeit.__doc__)
 
     def test_main_verbose(self):
         s = self.run_main(switches=['-v'])
diff --git a/Lib/timeit.py b/Lib/timeit.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 258dedccd08..58f6dfeb9cb
--- a/Lib/timeit.py
+++ b/Lib/timeit.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#! /usr/bin/env python3
-
 """Tool for measuring execution time of small code snippets.
 
 This module avoids a number of common traps for measuring execution
@@ -46,7 +44,6 @@
     timeit(string, string) -> float
     repeat(string, string) -> list
     default_timer() -> float
-
 """
 
 import gc
@@ -175,15 +172,20 @@ def timeit(self, number=default_number):
         """
         it = itertools.repeat(None, number)
         # XXX RUSTPYTHON TODO: gc module implementation
-        # gcold = gc.isenabled()
-        # gc.disable()
-        # try:
-        #     timing = self.inner(it, self.timer)
-        # finally:
-        #     if gcold:
-        #         gc.enable()
-        # return timing
-        return self.inner(it, self.timer)
+        try:
+            gcold = gc.isenabled()
+            gc.disable()
+        except NotImplementedError:
+            gcold = False
+        try:
+            timing = self.inner(it, self.timer)
+        finally:
+            if gcold:
+                try:
+                    gc.enable()
+                except NotImplementedError:
+                    pass
+        return timing
 
     def repeat(self, repeat=default_repeat, number=default_number):
         """Call timeit() a few times.
@@ -306,7 +308,7 @@ def main(args=None, *, _wrap_timer=None):
                 precision += 1
             verbose += 1
         if o in ("-h", "--help"):
-            print(__doc__, end=' ')
+            print(__doc__, end="")
             return 0
     setup = "\n".join(setup) or "pass"