diff --git a/testsuite/pytests/sli2py_regressions/test_ticket_293.py b/testsuite/pytests/sli2py_regressions/test_ticket_293.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..91b8910c09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/pytests/sli2py_regressions/test_ticket_293.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# test_ticket_293.py
+#
+# This file is part of NEST.
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative
+#
+# NEST is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# NEST is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with NEST.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import nest
+import pytest
+
+
+def test_ticket_293():
+    """
+    Regression test for Ticket #293.
+
+    This test verifies that NEST handles unknown keys in the status dictionary
+    gracefully when the number of threads is changed. It ensures that an error
+    is raised for the unknown key, but NEST does not crash.
+
+    Author: Hans E Plesser, 2008-10-20
+    """
+
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        nest.SetKernelStatus({"local_num_threads": 2, "foo": 5})
diff --git a/testsuite/regressiontests/ticket-293.sli b/testsuite/regressiontests/ticket-293.sli
deleted file mode 100644
index a3dddb95eb..0000000000
--- a/testsuite/regressiontests/ticket-293.sli
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-/*
- *  ticket-293.sli
- *
- *  This file is part of NEST.
- *
- *  Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative
- *
- *  NEST is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
- *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
- *  (at your option) any later version.
- *
- *  NEST is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- *  GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- *  along with NEST.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- *
- */
-
-/*
- * Regression test for Ticket #293
- *
- * NEST crashed when a status dictionary passed to the root node contained
- * unknown keys, if the dictionary changed the number of threads.
- *
- * This test changes the number of threads and includes /foo in the 
- * dictionary. This must cause a SLI error complaining about the
- * "Unused dictionary item" foo, but must not crash NEST. 
- * 
- * Hans E Plesser, 2008-10-20
- *
- */
-
-(unittest) run
-/unittest using
-
-<< >> begin
-
-{
-  << /local_num_threads 2 /foo 5 >> SetKernelStatus
-} fail_or_die
-
-end
\ No newline at end of file