diff --git a/Lib/test/fork_wait.py b/Lib/test/fork_wait.py
index 5600bdbc512..7eb55f66831 100644
--- a/Lib/test/fork_wait.py
+++ b/Lib/test/fork_wait.py
@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ class ForkWait(unittest.TestCase):
                 pass
 
     def wait_impl(self, cpid):
-        spid, status = os.waitpid(cpid, 0)
+        for i in range(10):
+            # waitpid() shouldn't hang, but some of the buildbots seem to hang
+            # in the forking tests.  This is an attempt to fix the problem.
+            spid, status = os.waitpid(cpid, os.WNOHANG)
+            if spid == cpid:
+                break
+            time.sleep(2 * SHORTSLEEP)
+
         self.assertEquals(spid, cpid)
         self.assertEquals(status, 0, "cause = %d, exit = %d" % (status&0xff, status>>8))
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_fork1.py b/Lib/test/test_fork1.py
index e909844e912..e64e3989999 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_fork1.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_fork1.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import time
 from test.fork_wait import ForkWait
 from test.test_support import TestSkipped, run_unittest, reap_children
 
@@ -12,7 +13,14 @@ except AttributeError:
 
 class ForkTest(ForkWait):
     def wait_impl(self, cpid):
-        spid, status = os.waitpid(cpid, 0)
+        for i in range(10):
+            # waitpid() shouldn't hang, but some of the buildbots seem to hang
+            # in the forking tests.  This is an attempt to fix the problem.
+            spid, status = os.waitpid(cpid, os.WNOHANG)
+            if spid == cpid:
+                break
+            time.sleep(1.0)
+
         self.assertEqual(spid, cpid)
         self.assertEqual(status, 0, "cause = %d, exit = %d" % (status&0xff, status>>8))
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_wait3.py b/Lib/test/test_wait3.py
index 82799732fe5..9de64b21ea3 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_wait3.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_wait3.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import time
 from test.fork_wait import ForkWait
 from test.test_support import TestSkipped, run_unittest, reap_children
 
@@ -17,10 +18,14 @@ except AttributeError:
 
 class Wait3Test(ForkWait):
     def wait_impl(self, cpid):
-        while 1:
-            spid, status, rusage = os.wait3(0)
+        for i in range(10):
+            # wait3() shouldn't hang, but some of the buildbots seem to hang
+            # in the forking tests.  This is an attempt to fix the problem.
+            spid, status, rusage = os.wait3(os.WNOHANG)
             if spid == cpid:
                 break
+            time.sleep(1.0)
+
         self.assertEqual(spid, cpid)
         self.assertEqual(status, 0, "cause = %d, exit = %d" % (status&0xff, status>>8))
         self.assertTrue(rusage)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_wait4.py b/Lib/test/test_wait4.py
index 711fd2dc389..9f7fc14a64a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_wait4.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_wait4.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import time
 from test.fork_wait import ForkWait
 from test.test_support import TestSkipped, run_unittest, reap_children
 
@@ -17,7 +18,13 @@ except AttributeError:
 
 class Wait4Test(ForkWait):
     def wait_impl(self, cpid):
-        spid, status, rusage = os.wait4(cpid, 0)
+        for i in range(10):
+            # wait4() shouldn't hang, but some of the buildbots seem to hang
+            # in the forking tests.  This is an attempt to fix the problem.
+            spid, status, rusage = os.wait4(cpid, os.WNOHANG)
+            if spid == cpid:
+                break
+            time.sleep(1.0)
         self.assertEqual(spid, cpid)
         self.assertEqual(status, 0, "cause = %d, exit = %d" % (status&0xff, status>>8))
         self.assertTrue(rusage)