diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/stats.out b/src/test/regress/expected/stats.out
index d3495ffb48..66d655a24f 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/stats.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/stats.out
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ SHOW stats_start_collector;  -- must be on
  on
 (1 row)
 
+-- wait to let any prior tests finish dumping out stats;
+-- else our messages might get lost due to contention
+SELECT pg_sleep(2.0);
+ pg_sleep 
+----------
+ 
+(1 row)
+
 -- save counters
 CREATE TEMP TABLE prevstats AS
 SELECT t.seq_scan, t.seq_tup_read, t.idx_scan, t.idx_tup_fetch,
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/stats.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/stats.sql
index 75acee647d..412e94b516 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/stats.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/stats.sql
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 -- conditio sine qua non
 SHOW stats_start_collector;  -- must be on
 
+-- wait to let any prior tests finish dumping out stats;
+-- else our messages might get lost due to contention
+SELECT pg_sleep(2.0);
+
 -- save counters
 CREATE TEMP TABLE prevstats AS
 SELECT t.seq_scan, t.seq_tup_read, t.idx_scan, t.idx_tup_fetch,