diff --git a/tests/scripts/features/output-sync b/tests/scripts/features/output-sync
index 13a54ca0..40546994 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/features/output-sync
+++ b/tests/scripts/features/output-sync
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ use POSIX ();
 # file.
 run_make_test(q!
 pid:=$(shell echo $$PPID)
-all:; @kill -TERM $(pid) && sleep 16
+all:; @#HELPER# term $(pid) sleep 10
 !, '-O -j2', '/#MAKE#: \*\*\* \[#MAKEFILE#:3: all] Terminated/', POSIX::SIGTERM);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/scripts/features/temp_stdin b/tests/scripts/features/temp_stdin
index b06df53e..c01d627c 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/features/temp_stdin
+++ b/tests/scripts/features/temp_stdin
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ run_make_test(q!
 include bye.mk
 pid:=$(shell echo $$PPID)
 all:;
-bye.mk: force; @kill -TERM $(pid) && sleep 16
+bye.mk: force; @#HELPER# term $(pid) sleep 10
 force:
 !, '-f-', '/#MAKE#: \*\*\* \[#MAKEFILE#:5: bye.mk] Terminated/', POSIX::SIGTERM);
 }
diff --git a/tests/thelp.pl b/tests/thelp.pl
index 993339cb..c243bcb8 100755
--- a/tests/thelp.pl
+++ b/tests/thelp.pl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #  wait <word>  : wait for a file named <word> to exist
 #  tmout <secs> : Change the timeout for waiting.  Default is 4 seconds.
 #  sleep <secs> : Sleep for <secs> seconds then echo <secs>
+#  term <pid>   : send SIGTERM to PID <pid>
 #  fail <err>   : echo <err> to stdout then exit with error code err
 #
 # If given -q only the "out" command generates output.
@@ -95,6 +96,12 @@ sub op {
         return 1;
     }
 
+    if ($op eq 'term') {
+        print "term $nm\n";
+        kill('TERM', $nm);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     if ($op eq 'fail') {
         print "fail $nm\n";
         exit($nm);