diff --git a/Lib/test/test_threading.py b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
index 5f7c0a8801c..0f3ac555c2d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_threading.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
@@ -473,13 +473,15 @@ class ThreadTests(BaseTestCase):
         for i in range(20):
             t = threading.Thread(target=lambda: None)
             t.start()
-            self.addCleanup(t.join)
             pid = os.fork()
             if pid == 0:
-                os._exit(1 if t.is_alive() else 0)
+                os._exit(11 if t.is_alive() else 10)
             else:
+                t.join()
+
                 pid, status = os.waitpid(pid, 0)
-                self.assertEqual(0, status)
+                self.assertTrue(os.WIFEXITED(status))
+                self.assertEqual(10, os.WEXITSTATUS(status))
 
     def test_main_thread(self):
         main = threading.main_thread()