Index: modules/simpletest/simpletest.module
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/simpletest/simpletest.module,v
retrieving revision 1.19
diff -u -p -r1.19 simpletest.module
--- modules/simpletest/simpletest.module	9 Oct 2008 15:15:52 -0000	1.19
+++ modules/simpletest/simpletest.module	8 Oct 2008 23:33:07 -0000
@@ -337,6 +337,10 @@ function simpletest_run_tests($test_list
     'init_message' => t('SimpleTest is initializing...') . ' ' . format_plural(count($test_list), "one test case will run.", "@count test cases will run."),
   );
   batch_set($batch);
+  // By default, the forms portion of the batch API handles this, but it
+  // inserts the whole $form into the DB, which may exceed the allowed
+  // size that can be sent to the database (max_allowed_packet on MySQL).
+  batch_process();
 }
 
 /**
Index: includes/form.inc
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/includes/form.inc,v
retrieving revision 1.295
diff -u -p -r1.295 form.inc
--- includes/form.inc	12 Oct 2008 06:27:03 -0000	1.295
+++ includes/form.inc	8 Oct 2008 23:24:45 -0000
@@ -2539,8 +2539,8 @@ function batch_set($batch_definition) {
  * Unless the batch has been marked with 'progressive' = FALSE, the function
  * issues a drupal_goto and thus ends page execution.
  *
- * This function is not needed in form submit handlers; Form API takes care
- * of batches that were set during form submission.
+ * This function is generally not needed in form submit handlers;
+ * Form API takes care of batches that were set during form submission.
  *
  * @param $redirect
  *   (optional) Path to redirect to when the batch has finished processing.