diff --git a/test/standing.test.ts b/test/standing.test.ts
index de76be3..658ec6b 100644
--- a/test/standing.test.ts
+++ b/test/standing.test.ts
@@ -98,12 +98,13 @@ test("a consumer failed for minutes is announced, naming it, its machine and the
   const w = await world();
   try {
     w.failing = new Error(`token request failed: 401 {"error":"invalid_grant"} for pw-a`);
+    // The loop stamps its own clock before it calls announce, so the test's stamp may read a few ms short: 10 ms of slack.
     // "Not before failingAfterMs" and "not again too soon" are read from the clock at the moment each is said, not
     // from a sleep: a sleep overruns under load and lets the very announcement it checks the absence of fall due.
     const asked = Date.now();
     await w.ask([{ as: "a", node: "anchor" }]);
     await until(() => w.said.length === 1);
-    assert.ok(w.said[0].at - asked >= FAILING_AFTER, `announced after ${w.said[0].at - asked} ms, before failingAfterMs`);
+    assert.ok(w.said[0].at - asked >= FAILING_AFTER - 10, `announced after ${w.said[0].at - asked} ms, before failingAfterMs`);
     const b = w.said[0].body;
     assert.equal(w.said[0].event, FAILING_EVENT);
     assert.equal(b.consumer, "a");
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ test("a consumer failed for minutes is announced, naming it, its machine and the
     // Said again while it lasts, not every pass.
     await until(() => w.said.length === 2);
     assert.equal(events(w.said), `${FAILING_EVENT},${FAILING_EVENT}`);
-    assert.ok(w.said[1].at - w.said[0].at >= SAY_AGAIN, `repeated after ${w.said[1].at - w.said[0].at} ms, before sayAgainEveryMs`);
+    assert.ok(w.said[1].at - w.said[0].at >= SAY_AGAIN - 10, `repeated after ${w.said[1].at - w.said[0].at} ms, before sayAgainEveryMs`);
 
     // The first success takes it back.
     w.failing = null;