diff --git a/gthread/tests/1bit-mutex.c b/gthread/tests/1bit-mutex.c
index abb6ddfe7..6c5d0cd4f 100644
--- a/gthread/tests/1bit-mutex.c
+++ b/gthread/tests/1bit-mutex.c
@@ -57,7 +57,13 @@ acquire (int nr)
 
   self = g_thread_self ();
 
-  g_bit_lock (&locks[nr], bits[nr]);
+  if (!g_bit_trylock (&locks[nr], bits[nr]))
+    {
+      if (g_test_verbose ())
+        g_print ("thread %p going to block on lock %d\n", self, nr);
+      g_bit_lock (&locks[nr], bits[nr]);
+    }
+
   g_assert (owners[nr] == NULL);   /* hopefully nobody else is here */
   owners[nr] = self;