diff --git a/examples/test/qore/threads/max-threads-count.qtest b/examples/test/qore/threads/max-threads-count.qtest
index d95d65e47c..7c2dad847e 100755
--- a/examples/test/qore/threads/max-threads-count.qtest
+++ b/examples/test/qore/threads/max-threads-count.qtest
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ public class MaxThreadCountTest inherits QUnit::Test {
         q = new Queue();
     }
 
-    t() {
+    t(Counter c) {
+        on_exit c.dec();
         q.get();
         q.push(1);
     }
@@ -34,16 +35,27 @@ public class MaxThreadCountTest inherits QUnit::Test {
             testSkip("skipping max thread test due to environment variable");
         }
 
+        int limit = 0;
+
+        Counter c();
         try {
             while (True) {
-                background t();
+                c.inc();
+                on_error c.dec();
+                background t(c);
             }
         } catch (hash<ExceptionInfo> ex) {
             assertEq("THREAD-CREATION-FAILURE", ex.err, "found threads count limit");
+            limit = num_threads();
             q.push(1);
         }
 
-        int nt = num_threads();
-        assertTrue(nt > 1, "number of threads is " + nt);
+        if (m_options.verbose > 2) {
+            printf("max thread limit detected: %d\n", limit);
+        }
+
+        assertGt(1, limit);
+        c.waitForZero();
+        assertEq(1, num_threads());
     }
 }