diff --git a/Lib/test/test_multiprocessing.py b/Lib/test/test_multiprocessing.py
index 163c42f1d10a17c..8cc4f5423acd51a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_multiprocessing.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_multiprocessing.py
@@ -1290,6 +1290,7 @@ def test_release_task_refs(self):
         self.pool.map(identity, objs)
 
         del objs
+        time.sleep(DELTA)  # let threaded cleanup code run
         self.assertEqual(set(wr() for wr in refs), {None})
         # With a process pool, copies of the objects are returned, check
         # they were released too.