--- drupal_web_test_case.php	2010-02-19 16:44:57.000000000 -0500
+++ drupal_web_test_case.php	2010-02-19 16:53:20.000000000 -0500
@@ -1146,6 +1146,10 @@ class DrupalWebTestCase extends DrupalTe
 
     drupal_static_reset('_node_types_build');
 
+    // Install the Stark theme so that we are testing default system .tpl.php files 
+    theme_enable(array('stark'));
+    variable_set('theme_default', 'stark'); 
+
     if ($modules = func_get_args()) {
       // Install modules needed for this test.
       module_enable($modules, TRUE, TRUE);