diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dns-resolver-max-timeout.js b/test/parallel/test-dns-resolver-max-timeout.js
index 7abac39323e..1a4aaef96c9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dns-resolver-max-timeout.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dns-resolver-max-timeout.js
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ server.bind(0, common.mustCall(async () => {
 
   // Test that maxTimeout is effective.
   // Without maxTimeout, the timeout will keep increasing when retrying.
-  const timeout1 = await timeout(address, { timeout: 500, tries: 3 });
-  // With maxTimeout, the timeout will always be 500 when retrying.
-  const timeout2 = await timeout(address, { timeout: 500, tries: 3, maxTimeout: 500 });
+  // Expired tries are only noticed on the resolver's `timeout` ms timer tick,
+  // so use enough tries that the doubling run cannot overlap the capped one.
+  const timeout1 = await timeout(address, { timeout: 100, tries: 5 });
+  // With maxTimeout, the timeout will always be 100 when retrying.
+  const timeout2 = await timeout(address, { timeout: 100, tries: 5, maxTimeout: 100 });
   console.log(`timeout1: ${timeout1}, timeout2: ${timeout2}`);
   assert.strictEqual(timeout1 !== undefined && timeout2 !== undefined, true);
   assert.strictEqual(timeout1 > timeout2, true);