diff --git a/test/cxx/MessagePassingTest.cpp b/test/cxx/MessagePassingTest.cpp
index 66cc0ca5f0..0f8ea7e922 100644
--- a/test/cxx/MessagePassingTest.cpp
+++ b/test/cxx/MessagePassingTest.cpp
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@ namespace tut {
 		}
 
 		void sendMessagesLater() {
+			std::cout << "sender: sleep 1" << std::endl;
 			syscalls::usleep(20000);
+			std::cout << "sender: sending hi" << std::endl;
 			box->send("hi");
+			std::cout << "sender: sent hi" << std::endl;
+			std::cout << "sender: sleep 2" << std::endl;
 			syscalls::usleep(20000);
+			std::cout << "sender: sending ho" << std::endl;
 			box->send("ho");
+			std::cout << "sender: sent ho" << std::endl;
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -70,14 +76,17 @@ namespace tut {
 		TempThread thr(boost::bind(&MessagePassingTest::sendMessagesLater, this));
 		unsigned long long timeoutUSec = 200000;
 		Timer<> timer;
-		std::cerr << "Test 1" << std::endl;
-		ensure_equals("(1)", box->recv("ho", &timeoutUSec)->name, "ho");
+		auto m = box->recv("ho", &timeoutUSec);
+		std::cout << "Done receiving" << std::endl;
+		if (m == nullptr) {
+			std::cout << "Timeout" << std::endl;
+			abort();
+		}
+		ensure_equals("(1)", m->name, "ho");
 		ensure("(2)", timer.elapsed() >= 39);
 		ensure("(3)", timer.elapsed() <= 250);
 		ensure_equals("(4)", box->size(), 1u);
-		std::cerr << "Test 2" << std::endl;
 		ensure_equals("(5)", box->recv("hi")->name, "hi");
-		std::cerr << "Test 3" << std::endl;
 		ensure_equals("(6)", box->size(), 0u);
 		ensure("(7)", timeoutUSec >= 100000);
 	}