diff --git a/src/testdir/test86.in b/src/testdir/test86.in
index ae8ee3e..4714451 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test86.in
+++ b/src/testdir/test86.in
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@
 :sleep 1
 :py t.running = False
 :py t.join()
-:py l[0] = t.t > 7  # check if the background thread is working
+:" Check if the background thread is working.  Count should be 10, but on a
+:" busy system (AppVeyor) it can be much lower.
+:py l[0] = t.t > 4
 :py del time
 :py del threading
 :py del t
diff --git a/src/testdir/test87.in b/src/testdir/test87.in
index 7ad05de..41d4065 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test87.in
+++ b/src/testdir/test87.in
@@ -367,7 +367,9 @@
 :sleep 1
 :py3 t.running = False
 :py3 t.join()
-:py3 l[0] = t.t > 7  # check if the background thread is working
+:" Check if the background thread is working.  Count should be 10, but on a
+:" busy system (AppVeyor) it can be much lower.
+:py3 l[0] = t.t > 4
 :py3 del time
 :py3 del threading
 :py3 del t