diff --git a/src/test/isolation/expected/deadlock-hard.out b/src/test/isolation/expected/deadlock-hard.out
index cb25f75d28d..b4ce01962d6 100644
--- a/src/test/isolation/expected/deadlock-hard.out
+++ b/src/test/isolation/expected/deadlock-hard.out
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ step s4a5: LOCK TABLE a5; <waiting ...>
 step s5a6: LOCK TABLE a6; <waiting ...>
 step s6a7: LOCK TABLE a7; <waiting ...>
 step s7a8: LOCK TABLE a8; <waiting ...>
-step s8a1: LOCK TABLE a1;
+step s8a1: LOCK TABLE a1; <waiting ...>
+step s8a1: <... completed>
 step s7a8: <... completed>
 error in steps s8a1 s7a8: ERROR:  deadlock detected
 step s8c: COMMIT;
diff --git a/src/test/isolation/specs/deadlock-hard.spec b/src/test/isolation/specs/deadlock-hard.spec
index a6daba374a8..1131ec1a97b 100644
--- a/src/test/isolation/specs/deadlock-hard.spec
+++ b/src/test/isolation/specs/deadlock-hard.spec
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # This is a straightforward deadlock scenario.  Since it involves more than
-# two processes, the mainlock detector will find the problem and rollback the
-# backend which discovers it.
+# two processes, the main lock detector will find the problem and rollback
+# the session that first discovers it.  Set deadlock_timeout in each session
+# so that it's predictable which session fails.
 
 setup
 {
@@ -20,49 +21,49 @@ teardown
 }
 
 session "s1"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s1a1"	{ LOCK TABLE a1; }
 step "s1a2"	{ LOCK TABLE a2; }
 step "s1c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s2"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s2a2"	{ LOCK TABLE a2; }
 step "s2a3"	{ LOCK TABLE a3; }
 step "s2c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s3"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s3a3"	{ LOCK TABLE a3; }
 step "s3a4"	{ LOCK TABLE a4; }
 step "s3c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s4"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s4a4"	{ LOCK TABLE a4; }
 step "s4a5"	{ LOCK TABLE a5; }
 step "s4c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s5"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s5a5"	{ LOCK TABLE a5; }
 step "s5a6"	{ LOCK TABLE a6; }
 step "s5c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s6"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s6a6"	{ LOCK TABLE a6; }
 step "s6a7"	{ LOCK TABLE a7; }
 step "s6c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s7"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10s'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '100s'; }
 step "s7a7"	{ LOCK TABLE a7; }
 step "s7a8"	{ LOCK TABLE a8; }
 step "s7c"	{ COMMIT; }
 
 session "s8"
-setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '10ms'; }
+setup		{ BEGIN; SET deadlock_timeout = '5s'; }
 step "s8a8"	{ LOCK TABLE a8; }
 step "s8a1"	{ LOCK TABLE a1; }
 step "s8c"	{ COMMIT; }