diff --git a/base/src/test/thread/main.cc b/base/src/test/thread/main.cc
index 8392da6cb..74f6e846d 100644
--- a/base/src/test/thread/main.cc
+++ b/base/src/test/thread/main.cc
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static void test_context_alloc()
 	 * Create HELPER threads, which concurrently create CHILDREN threads each.
 	 * This most likely triggers any race in the thread-context allocation.
 	 */
-	enum { HELPER = 10, CHILDREN = 10 };
+	enum { HELPER = 10, CHILDREN = 9 };
 
 	Helper<CHILDREN> helper[HELPER];
 
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ struct Cpu_helper : Thread<0x1000>
 	}
 };
 
+
 static void test_cpu_session()
 {
 	Cpu_helper thread0("prio high  ", env()->cpu_session());
@@ -183,8 +184,11 @@ static void test_cpu_session()
 	thread2.join();
 }
 
+
 int main()
 {
+	printf("--- thread test started ---\n");
+
 	try {
 		test_context_alloc();
 		test_stack_alignment();