diff --git a/testsuite/daemon-delete-msg-overflow_test.py b/testsuite/daemon-delete-msg-overflow_test.py
index 150f9c27b..8d35a0331 100644
--- a/testsuite/daemon-delete-msg-overflow_test.py
+++ b/testsuite/daemon-delete-msg-overflow_test.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 
 DAEMON_PORT = 12969
-FILE_COUNT = 1400
+FILE_COUNT = 2200
 
 src = FROMDIR
 dst = TODIR / 'current'
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 # that makes its next doubling hit (and be rejected by) --max-alloc=1m.
 deep = dst / 'runs'
 for i in range(10):
-    deep /= f'd{i}-' + 'x' * 76
+    deep /= f'd{i}-' + 'x' * 48
 makepath(deep)
 for i in range(FILE_COUNT):
     (deep / f'stale-{i:04d}').touch()