diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cdd445ef..cea61f20 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ def read(path):
         ]
     },
     extras_require=dict(
-        test=['zope.testing',
-              'zc.customdoctests>=1.0.1'],
+        test=['zope.testing>=4,<5',
+              'zc.customdoctests>=1.0.1,<2',
+              'stopit>=1.1.2,<2'],
         sqlalchemy=['sqlalchemy>=1.0,<1.4', 'geojson>=2.5.0']
     ),
     python_requires='>=3.4',
diff --git a/src/crate/client/tests.py b/src/crate/client/tests.py
index a0203e7c..58db6cb7 100644
--- a/src/crate/client/tests.py
+++ b/src/crate/client/tests.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import socket
 import unittest
 import doctest
 from pprint import pprint
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@
 import threading
 import logging
 
+import stopit
+
 from crate.testing.layer import CrateLayer
 from crate.testing.tests import crate_path, docs_path
 from crate.client import connect
@@ -258,7 +261,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         thread = threading.Thread(target=self.serve_forever)
         thread.daemon = True  # quit interpreter when only thread exists
         thread.start()
-        time.sleep(0.5)
+        self.waitForServer()
 
     def serve_forever(self):
         print("listening on", self.HOST, self.PORT)
@@ -268,6 +271,29 @@ def serve_forever(self):
     def tearDown(self):
         self.server.shutdown()
 
+    def isUp(self):
+        """
+        Test if a host is up.
+        """
+        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        ex = s.connect_ex((self.HOST, self.PORT))
+        s.close()
+        return ex == 0
+
+    def waitForServer(self, timeout=5):
+        """
+        Wait for the host to be available.
+        """
+        with stopit.ThreadingTimeout(timeout) as to_ctx_mgr:
+            while True:
+                if self.isUp():
+                    break
+                time.sleep(0.001)
+
+        if not to_ctx_mgr:
+            raise TimeoutError("Could not properly start embedded webserver "
+                               "within {} seconds".format(timeout))
+
 
 def setUpWithHttps(test):
     test.globs['HttpClient'] = http.Client
diff --git a/versions.cfg b/versions.cfg
index 1ff59bf6..cd8759f6 100644
--- a/versions.cfg
+++ b/versions.cfg
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ zc.customdoctests = 1.0.1
 zc.recipe.egg = 2.0.7
 zc.recipe.testrunner = 2.2
 zope.testing = 4.9
+stopit = 1.1.2
 
 # Required by:
 # clint==0.5.1