diff --git a/psutil/tests/__init__.py b/psutil/tests/__init__.py
index 852a3fc03..f28953b37 100644
--- a/psutil/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/psutil/tests/__init__.py
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@
     'unittest', 'skip_on_access_denied', 'skip_on_not_implemented',
     'retry_on_failure', 'TestMemoryLeak', 'PsutilTestCase',
     'process_namespace', 'system_namespace', 'print_sysinfo',
+    'is_win_secure_system_proc',
     # fs utils
     'chdir', 'safe_rmpath', 'create_exe', 'get_testfn',
     # os
@@ -1297,6 +1298,26 @@ def print_sysinfo():
 
     if WINDOWS:
         os.system("tasklist")
+    elif which("ps"):
+        os.system("ps aux")
+
+
+def is_win_secure_system_proc(pid):
+    # see: https://github.com/giampaolo/psutil/issues/2338
+    @memoize
+    def get_procs():
+        ret = {}
+        out = sh("tasklist.exe /NH /FO csv")
+        for line in out.splitlines()[1:]:
+            bits = [x.replace('"', "") for x in line.split(",")]
+            name, pid = bits[0], int(bits[1])
+            ret[pid] = name
+        return ret
+
+    try:
+        return get_procs()[pid] == "Secure System"
+    except KeyError:
+        return False
 
 
 def _get_eligible_cpu():
diff --git a/psutil/tests/test_contracts.py b/psutil/tests/test_contracts.py
index dc519005f..0bf03b53d 100755
--- a/psutil/tests/test_contracts.py
+++ b/psutil/tests/test_contracts.py
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 from psutil._compat import long
 from psutil._compat import range
 from psutil._compat import unicode
-from psutil.tests import APPVEYOR
 from psutil.tests import CI_TESTING
 from psutil.tests import GITHUB_ACTIONS
 from psutil.tests import HAS_CPU_FREQ
@@ -51,6 +50,7 @@
 from psutil.tests import create_sockets
 from psutil.tests import enum
 from psutil.tests import is_namedtuple
+from psutil.tests import is_win_secure_system_proc
 from psutil.tests import kernel_version
 from psutil.tests import process_namespace
 from psutil.tests import serialrun
@@ -489,7 +489,8 @@ def ppid(self, ret, info):
 
     def name(self, ret, info):
         self.assertIsInstance(ret, (str, unicode))
-        if APPVEYOR and not ret and info['status'] == 'stopped':
+        if WINDOWS and not ret and is_win_secure_system_proc(info['pid']):
+            # https://github.com/giampaolo/psutil/issues/2338
             return
         # on AIX, "<exiting>" processes don't have names
         if not AIX:
@@ -562,7 +563,8 @@ def ionice(self, ret, info):
 
     def num_threads(self, ret, info):
         self.assertIsInstance(ret, int)
-        if APPVEYOR and not ret and info['status'] == 'stopped':
+        if WINDOWS and ret == 0 and is_win_secure_system_proc(info['pid']):
+            # https://github.com/giampaolo/psutil/issues/2338
             return
         self.assertGreaterEqual(ret, 1)