diff --git a/test/gc/test-http-client-connaborted.js b/test/gc/test-http-client-connaborted.js
index 84d7ca588e..80ac055109 100644
--- a/test/gc/test-http-client-connaborted.js
+++ b/test/gc/test-http-client-connaborted.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ var http  = require('http'),
     done    = 0,
     count   = 0,
     countGC = 0,
-    todo    = 18,
+    todo    = 500,
     common = require('../common.js'),
     assert = require('assert'),
     PORT = common.PORT;
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ function afterGC(){
   countGC ++;
 }
 
+var timer;
 function statusLater() {
-  setTimeout(status, 1);
+  gc();
+  if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = setTimeout(status, 1);
 }
 
 function status() {
diff --git a/test/gc/test-http-client-onerror.js b/test/gc/test-http-client-onerror.js
index 58724893a9..6bea7c000d 100644
--- a/test/gc/test-http-client-onerror.js
+++ b/test/gc/test-http-client-onerror.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ var http  = require('http'),
     done    = 0,
     count   = 0,
     countGC = 0,
-    todo    = 18,
+    todo    = 500,
     common = require('../common.js'),
     assert = require('assert'),
     PORT = common.PORT;
@@ -49,8 +49,11 @@ function afterGC(){
   countGC ++;
 }
 
+var timer;
 function statusLater() {
-  setTimeout(status, 1);
+  gc();
+  if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = setTimeout(status, 1);
 }
 
 function status() {
diff --git a/test/gc/test-http-client-timeout.js b/test/gc/test-http-client-timeout.js
index 32302a439d..c98a008a2c 100644
--- a/test/gc/test-http-client-timeout.js
+++ b/test/gc/test-http-client-timeout.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var http  = require('http'),
     done    = 0,
     count   = 0,
     countGC = 0,
-    todo    = 18,
+    todo    = 500,
     common = require('../common.js'),
     assert = require('assert'),
     PORT = common.PORT;
@@ -52,8 +52,11 @@ function afterGC(){
   countGC ++;
 }
 
+var timer;
 function statusLater() {
-  setTimeout(status, 1);
+  gc();
+  if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = setTimeout(status, 1);
 }
 
 function status() {
diff --git a/test/gc/test-http-client.js b/test/gc/test-http-client.js
index 913ca7b1af..33be9ea15c 100644
--- a/test/gc/test-http-client.js
+++ b/test/gc/test-http-client.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ var http  = require('http'),
     done    = 0,
     count   = 0,
     countGC = 0,
-    todo    = 5,
+    todo    = 500,
     common = require('../common.js'),
     assert = require('assert'),
     PORT = common.PORT;
@@ -47,8 +47,11 @@ function afterGC(){
   countGC ++;
 }
 
+var timer;
 function statusLater() {
-  setTimeout(status, 1);
+  gc();
+  if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = setTimeout(status, 1);
 }
 
 function status() {
@@ -61,3 +64,4 @@ function status() {
     process.exit(0);
   }
 }
+
diff --git a/test/gc/test-net-timeout.js b/test/gc/test-net-timeout.js
index 789193ee37..52f1176174 100644
--- a/test/gc/test-net-timeout.js
+++ b/test/gc/test-net-timeout.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var net  = require('net'),
     done    = 0,
     count   = 0,
     countGC = 0,
-    todo    = 18,
+    todo    = 500,
     common = require('../common.js'),
     assert = require('assert'),
     PORT = common.PORT;
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function getall() {
 
       count++;
       weak(req, afterGC);
-    })()
+    })();
   }
 }
 
@@ -44,8 +44,11 @@ function afterGC(){
   countGC ++;
 }
 
+var timer;
 function statusLater() {
-  setTimeout(status, 1);
+  gc();
+  if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = setTimeout(status, 1);
 }
 
 function status() {