diff --git a/lib/tests/t_api.c b/lib/tests/t_api.c
index 41ae5254ff..191b5132a8 100644
--- a/lib/tests/t_api.c
+++ b/lib/tests/t_api.c
@@ -31,10 +31,6 @@
 
 #include	"include/tests/t_api.h"
 
-#if !defined(__NetBSD__)
-#define T_API_USES_TIMEOUTS 1
-#endif
-
 static char *Usage =	"\t-a               : run all tests\n"
 			"\t-b <dir>         : chdir to dir before running tests"
 			"\t-c <config_file> : use specified config file\n"
@@ -218,11 +214,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	sa.sa_flags = 0;
 	sigfillset(&sa.sa_mask);
-	sa.sa_handler = t_sighandler;
-#if defined(T_API_USES_TIMEOUTS)
-	(void)SIGACTION(SIGALRM, &sa, NULL);
+
+#ifdef SIGCHLD
+	/*
+	 * This is mostly here for NetBSD's pthread implementation, until
+	 * people catch up to the latest unproven-pthread package.
+	 */
+	sa.sa_handler = SIG_DFL;
+	(void)sigaction(SIGCHLD, &sa, NULL); /* Note: LOWERCASE sigaction */
 #endif
+
+	sa.sa_handler = t_sighandler;
 	(void)SIGACTION(SIGINT,  &sa, NULL);
+	(void)SIGACTION(SIGALRM, &sa, NULL);
 
 	/* output start stanza to journal */
 
@@ -255,11 +259,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				else if (T_pid > 0) {
 
 					T_int = 0;
-#if defined(T_API_USES_TIMEOUTS)
 					sa.sa_handler = t_sighandler;
 					(void)SIGACTION(SIGALRM, &sa, NULL);
 					alarm(T_timeout);
-#endif
 
 					deadpid = (pid_t) -1;
 					while (deadpid != T_pid) {
@@ -282,11 +284,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 							break;
 					}
 
-#if defined(T_API_USES_TIMEOUTS)
 					alarm(0);
 					sa.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
 					(void)SIGACTION(SIGALRM, &sa, NULL);
-#endif
 				}
 				else {
 					t_info("fork failed, errno == %d\n", errno);