diff --git a/changes/weasel-testuite-thread-fixes b/changes/weasel-testuite-thread-fixes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c32c3881a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/weasel-testuite-thread-fixes
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes:
+    - Testsuite:  In the util/threads test no longer free the test_mutex
+      before all worker threads have finished.
+    - Testsuite:  The master thread could starve the worker threads quite
+      badly on certain systems, causing them to run only partially in
+      the allowed window.  This resulted in test failures.  Now the master
+      thread sleeps occasionally for a few microseconds while the two
+      worker-threads compete for the mutex.
diff --git a/src/test/test_util.c b/src/test/test_util.c
index ad5a27e517..bba96325c4 100644
--- a/src/test/test_util.c
+++ b/src/test/test_util.c
@@ -448,6 +448,11 @@ test_util_threads(void)
   char *s1 = NULL, *s2 = NULL;
   int done = 0, timedout = 0;
   time_t started;
+#ifndef MS_WINDOWS
+  struct timeval tv;
+  tv.tv_sec=0;
+  tv.tv_usec=10;
+#endif
 #ifndef TOR_IS_MULTITHREADED
   /* Skip this test if we aren't threading. We should be threading most
    * everywhere by now. */
@@ -477,14 +482,18 @@ test_util_threads(void)
       timedout = done = 1;
     }
     tor_mutex_release(_thread_test_mutex);
+#ifndef MS_WINDOWS
+    /* Prevent the main thread from starving the worker threads. */
+    select(0, NULL, NULL, NULL, &tv);
+#endif
   }
-  tor_mutex_free(_thread_test_mutex);
-
   tor_mutex_acquire(_thread_test_start1);
   tor_mutex_release(_thread_test_start1);
   tor_mutex_acquire(_thread_test_start2);
   tor_mutex_release(_thread_test_start2);
 
+  tor_mutex_free(_thread_test_mutex);
+
   if (timedout) {
     printf("\nTimed out: %d %d", t1_count, t2_count);
     test_assert(strmap_get(_thread_test_strmap, "thread 1"));