diff --git a/contrib/netbsd-tests/lib/libc/sys/t_getitimer.c b/contrib/netbsd-tests/lib/libc/sys/t_getitimer.c
index 0e4e7b6be333..e4b22db05d0e 100644
--- a/contrib/netbsd-tests/lib/libc/sys/t_getitimer.c
+++ b/contrib/netbsd-tests/lib/libc/sys/t_getitimer.c
@@ -195,8 +195,10 @@ ATF_TC_BODY(setitimer_old, tc)
 	ATF_REQUIRE(setitimer(ITIMER_REAL, &it, &ot) == 0);
 
 #ifdef __FreeBSD__
-	if (ot.it_value.tv_sec == 4 && ot.it_value.tv_usec == 3)
-		atf_tc_fail("setitimer(2) did not return remaining time");
+	ATF_REQUIRE_MSG(ot.it_value.tv_sec < 4 ||
+	    ot.it_value.tv_sec == 4 && ot.it_value.tv_usec <= 3,
+	    "setitimer(2) returned invalid it_value: %jd %jd",
+	    (intmax_t)ot.it_value.tv_sec, (intmax_t)ot.it_value.tv_usec);
 #else
 	if (ot.it_value.tv_sec != 4 || ot.it_value.tv_usec != 3)
 		atf_tc_fail("setitimer(2) did not store old values");