diff --git a/Lib/test/test_threading.py b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
index c8f9cac..cb6f6d2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_threading.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
@@ -186,7 +186,8 @@
         # Now raise an exception in the worker thread.
         if verbose:
             print "    waiting for worker thread to get started"
-        worker_started.wait()
+        ret = worker_started.wait()
+        self.assertTrue(ret)
         if verbose:
             print "    verifying worker hasn't exited"
         self.assert_(not t.finished)