diff --git a/test/unit/background_thread_enable.c b/test/unit/background_thread_enable.c
index ff95e672..d894e937 100644
--- a/test/unit/background_thread_enable.c
+++ b/test/unit/background_thread_enable.c
@@ -33,20 +33,19 @@ TEST_END
 TEST_BEGIN(test_max_background_threads) {
 	test_skip_if(!have_background_thread);
 
-	size_t maxt;
-	size_t opt_maxt;
-	size_t sz_m = sizeof(maxt);
+	size_t max_n_thds;
+	size_t opt_max_n_thds;
+	size_t sz_m = sizeof(max_n_thds);
 	assert_d_eq(mallctl("opt.max_background_threads",
-			    &opt_maxt, &sz_m, NULL, 0), 0,
-			    "Failed to get opt.max_background_threads");
-	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", &maxt, &sz_m, NULL, 0), 0,
-		    "Failed to get max background threads");
-	assert_zu_eq(20, maxt, "should be ncpus");
-	assert_zu_eq(opt_maxt, maxt,
-		     "max_background_threads and "
-		     "opt.max_background_threads should match");
-	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL, &maxt, sz_m),
-		    0, "Failed to set max background threads");
+	    &opt_max_n_thds, &sz_m, NULL, 0), 0,
+	    "Failed to get opt.max_background_threads");
+	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", &max_n_thds, &sz_m, NULL,
+	    0), 0, "Failed to get max background threads");
+	assert_zu_eq(opt_max_n_thds, max_n_thds,
+	    "max_background_threads and "
+	    "opt.max_background_threads should match");
+	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL, &max_n_thds,
+	    sz_m), 0, "Failed to set max background threads");
 
 	unsigned id;
 	size_t sz_u = sizeof(unsigned);
@@ -60,18 +59,21 @@ TEST_BEGIN(test_max_background_threads) {
 	size_t sz_b = sizeof(bool);
 	assert_d_eq(mallctl("background_thread", NULL, NULL, &enable, sz_b), 0,
 	    "Failed to enable background threads");
-	assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, maxt,
-		     "Number of background threads should be 3.\n");
-	maxt = 10;
-	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL, &maxt, sz_m),
-		    0, "Failed to set max background threads");
-	assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, maxt,
-		     "Number of background threads should be 10.\n");
-	maxt = 3;
-	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL, &maxt, sz_m),
-		    0, "Failed to set max background threads");
-	assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, maxt,
-		     "Number of background threads should be 3.\n");
+	assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, max_n_thds,
+	    "Number of background threads should not change.\n");
+	size_t new_max_thds = max_n_thds - 1;
+	if (new_max_thds > 0) {
+		assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL,
+		    &new_max_thds, sz_m), 0,
+		    "Failed to set max background threads");
+		assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, new_max_thds,
+		    "Number of background threads should decrease by 1.\n");
+	}
+	new_max_thds = 1;
+	assert_d_eq(mallctl("max_background_threads", NULL, NULL, &new_max_thds,
+	    sz_m), 0, "Failed to set max background threads");
+	assert_zu_eq(n_background_threads, new_max_thds,
+	    "Number of background threads should be 1.\n");
 }
 TEST_END