diff --git a/sandbox/run_2to3.sh b/sandbox/run_2to3.sh
index 1823c1f0c..172d7690c 100755
--- a/sandbox/run_2to3.sh
+++ b/sandbox/run_2to3.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+rm -f src/version.py # Prevent 2to3 from copying it, since py3k/src/version.py was probably written by root.
 cp locale/ py3k/ -R
 cp plugins/ py3k/ -R # copy plugins data
 python 2to3/run.py src/ plugins/ test/ scripts/* setup.py -wWno py3k -f all -f def_iteritems -f def_itervalues -f def_iterkeys -f reload "$@"