diff --git a/test/functional/forknotify.py b/test/functional/forknotify.py
index b779e03c1..34d156087 100755
--- a/test/functional/forknotify.py
+++ b/test/functional/forknotify.py
@@ -1,67 +1,77 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2014-2016 The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 # file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 
 #
 # Test -alertnotify
 #
+"""Test the -alertnotify option."""
+
+import os
+import time
 
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.util import *
 
 
 class ForkNotifyTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
         self.num_nodes = 2
         self.setup_clean_chain = False
 
     def setup_network(self):
         self.nodes = []
         self.alert_filename = os.path.join(self.options.tmpdir, "alert.txt")
         with open(self.alert_filename, 'w', encoding='utf8'):
             pass  # Just open then close to create zero-length file
         self.nodes.append(start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir,
                                      ["-blockversion=2", "-alertnotify=echo %s >> \"" + self.alert_filename + "\""]))
         # Node1 mines block.version=211 blocks
         self.nodes.append(start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir,
                                      ["-blockversion=211"]))
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[1], 0)
 
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test(self):
         # Mine 51 up-version blocks
         self.nodes[1].generate(51)
         self.sync_all()
         # -alertnotify should trigger on the 51'st,
         # but mine and sync another to give
         # -alertnotify time to write
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
         self.sync_all()
 
+        # Give bitcoind 10 seconds to write the alert notification
+        timeout = 10.0
+        while timeout > 0:
+            if os.path.exists(self.alert_filename) and os.path.getsize(self.alert_filename):
+                break
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+            timeout -= 0.1
+        else:
+            assert False, "-alertnotify did not warn of up-version blocks"
+
         with open(self.alert_filename, 'r', encoding='utf8') as f:
             alert_text = f.read()
 
-        if len(alert_text) == 0:
-            raise AssertionError(
-                "-alertnotify did not warn of up-version blocks")
-
         # Mine more up-version blocks, should not get more alerts:
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
         self.sync_all()
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
         self.sync_all()
 
         with open(self.alert_filename, 'r', encoding='utf8') as f:
             alert_text2 = f.read()
 
         if alert_text != alert_text2:
             raise AssertionError(
                 "-alertnotify excessive warning of up-version blocks")
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     ForkNotifyTest().main()