diff --git a/tests/gc-concurrent.builder.sh b/tests/gc-concurrent.builder.sh
index 0cd67df3a..bb6dcd4cf 100644
--- a/tests/gc-concurrent.builder.sh
+++ b/tests/gc-concurrent.builder.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+echo "Build started" > "$lockFifo"
+
 mkdir $out
 echo $(cat $input1/foo)$(cat $input2/bar) > $out/foobar
 
-sleep 10
+# Wait for someone to write on the fifo
+cat "$lockFifo"
 
 # $out should not have been GC'ed while we were sleeping, but just in
 # case...
diff --git a/tests/gc-concurrent.nix b/tests/gc-concurrent.nix
index 21671ea2c..0aba1f983 100644
--- a/tests/gc-concurrent.nix
+++ b/tests/gc-concurrent.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 with import ./config.nix;
 
+{ lockFifo ? null }:
+
 rec {
 
   input1 = mkDerivation {
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@ rec {
     name = "gc-concurrent";
     builder = ./gc-concurrent.builder.sh;
     inherit input1 input2;
+    inherit lockFifo;
   };
 
   test2 = mkDerivation {
diff --git a/tests/gc-concurrent.sh b/tests/gc-concurrent.sh
index d395930ca..2c6622c62 100644
--- a/tests/gc-concurrent.sh
+++ b/tests/gc-concurrent.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ source common.sh
 
 clearStore
 
-drvPath1=$(nix-instantiate gc-concurrent.nix -A test1)
+lockFifo1=$TEST_ROOT/test1.fifo
+mkfifo "$lockFifo1"
+
+drvPath1=$(nix-instantiate gc-concurrent.nix -A test1 --argstr lockFifo "$lockFifo1")
 outPath1=$(nix-store -q $drvPath1)
 
 drvPath2=$(nix-instantiate gc-concurrent.nix -A test2)
@@ -22,19 +25,16 @@ ln -s $outPath3 "$NIX_STATE_DIR"/gcroots/foo2
 nix-store -rvv "$drvPath1" &
 pid1=$!
 
-# Start build #2 in the background after 10 seconds.
-(sleep 10 && nix-store -rvv "$drvPath2") &
-pid2=$!
+# Wait for the build of $drvPath1 to start
+cat $lockFifo1
 
 # Run the garbage collector while the build is running.
-sleep 6
 nix-collect-garbage
 
-# Wait for build #1/#2 to finish.
+# Unlock the build of $drvPath1
+echo "" > $lockFifo1
 echo waiting for pid $pid1 to finish...
 wait $pid1
-echo waiting for pid $pid2 to finish...
-wait $pid2
 
 # Check that the root of build #1 and its dependencies haven't been
 # deleted.  The should not be deleted by the GC because they were
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@ wait $pid2
 cat $outPath1/foobar
 cat $outPath1/input-2/bar
 
-# Check that build #2 has succeeded.  It should succeed because the
-# derivation is a GC root.
+# Check that the build build $drvPath2 succeeds.
+# It should succeed because the derivation is a GC root.
+nix-store -rvv "$drvPath2"
 cat $outPath2/foobar
 
 rm -f "$NIX_STATE_DIR"/gcroots/foo*
diff --git a/tests/gc-concurrent2.builder.sh b/tests/gc-concurrent2.builder.sh
index 4bfb33103..4f6c58b96 100644
--- a/tests/gc-concurrent2.builder.sh
+++ b/tests/gc-concurrent2.builder.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,3 @@ echo $(cat $input1/foo)$(cat $input2/bar)xyzzy > $out/foobar
 
 # Check that the GC hasn't deleted the lock on our output.
 test -e "$out.lock"
-
-sleep 6