diff --git a/tests/test_tasks.py b/tests/test_tasks.py
index a6ac502..e325022 100644
--- a/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from core import tasks
 
 class SpawnTests(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
     async def test_survives_gc_and_set_emptied(self):
+        base = len(tasks._BACKGROUND)  # other tests may leave tasks from closed loops
         done = asyncio.Event()
 
         async def work():
@@ -16,12 +17,14 @@ class SpawnTests(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
 
         tasks.spawn(work())
         gc.collect()
-        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), base + 1)
         await asyncio.wait_for(done.wait(), 1)
         await asyncio.sleep(0)
-        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), base)
 
     async def test_exception_logged_without_message(self):
+        base = len(tasks._BACKGROUND)
+
         async def boom():
             raise ValueError("secret-token")
 
@@ -30,7 +33,7 @@ class SpawnTests(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
             await asyncio.sleep(0.02)
         self.assertIn("ValueError", cm.output[0])
         self.assertNotIn("secret-token", cm.output[0])
-        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(tasks._BACKGROUND), base)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":