diff --git a/test/src/fns-tests.el b/test/src/fns-tests.el
index c5828aca810..016057c07e5 100644
--- a/test/src/fns-tests.el
+++ b/test/src/fns-tests.el
@@ -1318,11 +1318,12 @@
     (should (= (length expected) (length actual)))
     (should (= (hash-table-count table) (length expected)))))
 
-(defun ft--gc (_weakness)
+(defun ft--gc (execute-finalizers)
   (cond ((fboundp 'igc--collect)
          (igc-collect)
-         (igc--process-messages)
-         (igc-collect))
+         (when execute-finalizers
+           (igc--process-messages)
+           (igc-collect)))
         (t
          (garbage-collect))))
 
@@ -1336,7 +1337,7 @@
          (table (make-hash-table :weakness weakness))
          (f (lambda () (ft--populate-hashtable table (ft--nentries))))
          (pairs (thread-join (make-thread f))))
-    (ft--gc weakness)
+    (ft--gc t)
     (ft--check-entries table pairs)))
 
 (ert-deftest ft-weak-key-removal () (ft--test-weak-removal 'key))
@@ -1387,7 +1388,7 @@
   (let ((h (make-hash-table :weakness weakness :test test)))
     (dotimes (i 32)
       (puthash i (lognot 2) h))
-    (ft--gc weakness)))
+    (ft--gc t)))
 
 (ert-deftest ft-weak-fixnums ()
   (dolist (w '(key value key-and-value key-or-value))
@@ -1404,7 +1405,7 @@
                 (puthash i (cons nil nil) h)))
         (#b10 (dotimes (i 10)
                 (puthash (cons nil nil) i h)))))
-    (ft--gc weakness)))
+    (ft--gc t)))
 
 (ert-deftest ft-weak-fixnums2 ()
   (dolist (w '(key value key-and-value key-or-value))
@@ -1417,7 +1418,7 @@
     (dotimes (i n)
       (let* ((obj (cons 'a i)))
         (puthash obj obj h)))
-    (ft--gc weakness)
+    (ft--gc t)
     (should (< (length (ft--hash-table-entries h)) n))
     (should (< (hash-table-count h) n))))
 
@@ -1425,6 +1426,9 @@
   (dolist (w '(key value key-and-value key-or-value))
     (ft--test-ephemeron-table w)))
 
+;; This test is supposed to show a problem when finalizers are used to
+;; remove hash table entries.  It's incorrect to "arm" the finalizer as
+;; long as the entry can be "reached" by using an equal key.
 (ert-deftest ft-weak-equal-table ()
   (unless (featurep 'threads)
     (ert-skip '(not (featurep 'threads))))
@@ -1436,10 +1440,10 @@
              (val (list 'val i)))
         (puthash key val h)))
     (should (= (hash-table-count h) n))
-    (ft--gc 'key)
+    (ft--gc nil)
     (setq root (thread-join (make-thread (lambda ()
                                            (gethash '(key 0) h)))))
-    (ft--gc 'key-or-value)
+    (ft--gc t)
     (should (< (hash-table-count h) n))
     (should (equal root (gethash '(key 0) h)))))