diff --git a/Lib/doctest.py b/Lib/doctest.py
index 0db75b4343d..d1b96d4d08f 100644
--- a/Lib/doctest.py
+++ b/Lib/doctest.py
@@ -318,6 +318,8 @@ def __init__(self, out):
         self.__out = out
         self.__debugger_used = False
         pdb.Pdb.__init__(self, stdout=out)
+        # still use input() to get user input
+        self.use_rawinput = 1
 
     def set_trace(self, frame=None):
         self.__debugger_used = True
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 901d21f8320..50fa0cf0d79 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -475,6 +475,9 @@ C-API
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #5727: Restore the ability to use readline when calling into pdb
+  in doctests.
+
 - Issue #6719: In pdb, do not stop somewhere in the encodings machinery
   if the source file to be debugged is in a non-builtin encoding.