Index: Lib/test/test_threadsignals.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_threadsignals.py	(revision 78648)
+++ Lib/test/test_threadsignals.py	(working copy)
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import signal
 import os
 import sys
+import time
 from test.test_support import run_unittest
 
 if sys.platform[:3] in ('win', 'os2') or sys.platform=='riscos':
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
        and that they were run by the main thread.
     """
     def test_signals(self):
+        previous_refs = sys.getrefcount(send_signals)
         signalled_all.acquire()
         self.spawnSignallingThread()
         signalled_all.acquire()
@@ -62,6 +64,11 @@
         self.assertEqual( signal_blackboard[signal.SIGUSR2]['tripped_by'],
                            thread.get_ident())
         signalled_all.release()
+        # Wait until the thread ends, to prevent transient leaks
+        countdown = 9
+        while countdown and sys.getrefcount(send_signals) > previous_refs:
+            countdown -= 1
+            time.sleep(.01)
 
     def spawnSignallingThread(self):
         thread.start_new_thread(send_signals, ())