diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-before-exit.js b/test/parallel/test-process-before-exit.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 01590de0fcf844..00000000000000
--- a/test/parallel/test-process-before-exit.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-require('../common');
-const assert = require('assert');
-
-var N = 5;
-var n = 0;
-
-function f() {
-  if (++n < N) setTimeout(f, 5);
-}
-process.on('beforeExit', f);
-process.on('exit', function() {
-  assert.equal(n, N + 1);  // The sixth time we let it through.
-});
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event.js b/test/parallel/test-process-beforeexit.js
similarity index 54%
rename from test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event.js
rename to test/parallel/test-process-beforeexit.js
index ef94da76af3883..4557628c42b611 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-beforeexit-event.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-process-beforeexit.js
@@ -21,6 +21,19 @@ function tryListen() {
     .listen(0)
     .on('listening', common.mustCall(function() {
       this.close();
-      process.on('beforeExit', common.mustCall(() => {}));
+      process.once('beforeExit', common.mustCall(tryRepeatedTimer));
     }));
 }
+
+// test that a function invoked from the beforeExit handler can use a timer
+// to keep the event loop open, which can use another timer to keep the event
+// loop open, etc.
+function tryRepeatedTimer() {
+  const N = 5;
+  let n = 0;
+  const repeatedTimer = common.mustCall(function() {
+    if (++n < N)
+      setTimeout(repeatedTimer, 1);
+  }, N);
+  setTimeout(repeatedTimer, 1);
+}