diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index 2f07b1d..7a39e20 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -1654,7 +1654,10 @@
         self.gearman_server.shutdown()
         self.fake_nodepool.stop()
         self.zk.disconnect()
-        threads = threading.enumerate()
+        # we whitelist watchdog threads as they have relatively long delays
+        # before noticing they should exit, but they should exit on their own.
+        threads = [t for t in threading.enumerate()
+                   if t.name != 'executor-watchdog']
         if len(threads) > 1:
             self.log.error("More than one thread is running: %s" % threads)
         self.printHistory()
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index 2658556..571f3ee 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@
         self.timeout = timeout
         self.function = function
         self.args = args
-        self.thread = threading.Thread(target=self._run)
+        self.thread = threading.Thread(target=self._run,
+                                       name='executor-watchdog')
         self.thread.daemon = True
         self.timed_out = None