diff --git a/Lib/test/test_xmlrpc.py b/Lib/test/test_xmlrpc.py
index 4dd3316ffa0..738db8a40c8 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_xmlrpc.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_xmlrpc.py
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ class BinaryTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
 PORT = None
 
+# The evt is set twice.  First when the server is ready to serve.
+# Second when the server has been shutdown.  The user must clear
+# the event after it has been set the first time to catch the second set.
 def http_server(evt, numrequests):
     class TestInstanceClass:
         def div(self, x, y):
@@ -323,6 +326,7 @@ def http_server(evt, numrequests):
         serv.register_function(lambda x,y: x+y, 'add')
         serv.register_function(my_function)
         serv.register_instance(TestInstanceClass())
+        evt.set()
 
         # handle up to 'numrequests' requests
         while numrequests > 0:
@@ -336,10 +340,19 @@ def http_server(evt, numrequests):
         PORT = None
         evt.set()
 
+# TODO(nnorwitz): 25-Jan-2008 since we now notify the test when the server
+# is totally ready to serve, this function should not be necessary.
+# It is disabled by returning False.  If the buildbots don't show any
+# failures for this test over the next week, all the code associated
+# with this function should be removed.  The code that needs to be removed
+# is this function, the NOTE below, and the entire except body that
+# calls this function.
 def is_unavailable_exception(e):
     '''Returns True if the given ProtocolError is the product of a server-side
        exception caused by the 'temporarily unavailable' response sometimes
        given by operations on non-blocking sockets.'''
+    return False
+
     # sometimes we get a -1 error code and/or empty headers
     if e.errcode == -1 or e.headers is None:
         return True
@@ -367,13 +380,9 @@ class SimpleServerTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         serv_args = (self.evt, 1)
         threading.Thread(target=http_server, args=serv_args).start()
 
-        # wait for port to be assigned to server
-        n = 1000
-        while n > 0 and PORT is None:
-            time.sleep(0.001)
-            n -= 1
-
-        time.sleep(0.5)
+        # wait for the server to be ready
+        self.evt.wait()
+        self.evt.clear()
 
     def tearDown(self):
         # wait on the server thread to terminate
@@ -518,13 +527,9 @@ class FailingServerTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         serv_args = (self.evt, 2)
         threading.Thread(target=http_server, args=serv_args).start()
 
-        # wait for port to be assigned to server
-        n = 1000
-        while n > 0 and PORT is None:
-            time.sleep(0.001)
-            n -= 1
-
-        time.sleep(0.5)
+        # wait for the server to be ready
+        self.evt.wait()
+        self.evt.clear()
 
     def tearDown(self):
         # wait on the server thread to terminate