diff --git a/tests/auto/corelib/io/qfile/tst_qfile.cpp b/tests/auto/corelib/io/qfile/tst_qfile.cpp
index e5f4bd67927..64a3687e2a4 100644
--- a/tests/auto/corelib/io/qfile/tst_qfile.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/corelib/io/qfile/tst_qfile.cpp
@@ -2635,6 +2635,9 @@ static void unixPipe_helper(int pipes[2])
         c = 2;
         qt_safe_write(fd, &c, 1);
     }));
+
+    QElapsedTimer timer;
+    timer.start();
     thr->start();
 
     // synchronize with the thread having started
@@ -2643,8 +2646,6 @@ static void unixPipe_helper(int pipes[2])
     QCOMPARE(c, '\1');
 
     QFETCH(bool, useStdio);
-    QElapsedTimer timer;
-    timer.start();
     QFile f;
     if (useStdio) {
         FILE *fh = fdopen(pipes[0], "rb");
@@ -2658,8 +2659,8 @@ static void unixPipe_helper(int pipes[2])
     c = 0;
     QCOMPARE(f.read(&c, 1), 1);
     QCOMPARE(c, '\2');
-    int elapsed = timer.elapsed();
-    QVERIFY2(elapsed >= Timeout, QByteArray::number(elapsed));
+    const int elapsed = timer.elapsed();
+    QCOMPARE_GE(elapsed, Timeout);
 
     thr->wait();
 }