diff --git a/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.c b/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.c
index d3506be3d..9298e4f37 100644
--- a/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.c
+++ b/tests/regression/apparmor/syscall_sysctl.c
@@ -16,21 +16,44 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #define BUFSIZE 4096
-int main(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-	int save_max_threads, new_max_threads, read_new_max_threads;
-	size_t save_sz = sizeof(save_max_threads);
-	int name[] = {CTL_KERN, KERN_MAX_THREADS};
-	int readonly = 0;
-	
-	if ((argc > 1) && strcmp(argv[1],"ro") == 0) 
-		readonly = 1;
 
-	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), &save_max_threads, &save_sz, NULL, 0) == -1){
+static int name[] = {CTL_KERN, KERN_MAX_THREADS};
+
+int read_max_threads(int *max_threads)
+{
+	size_t save_sz = sizeof(*max_threads);
+
+	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), max_threads, &save_sz, NULL, 0) == -1){
 		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl read failed - %s\n",
 			strerror(errno));
 		return 1;
 	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int write_max_threads(int new_max_threads)
+{
+	size_t save_sz = sizeof(new_max_threads);
+
+	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), NULL, 0, &new_max_threads, save_sz) == -1){
+		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl write failed - %s\n",
+			strerror(errno));
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	int save_max_threads, new_max_threads, read_new_max_threads;
+	int readonly = 0;
+	
+	if ((argc > 1) && strcmp(argv[1],"ro") == 0)
+		readonly = 1;
+
+	if (read_max_threads(&save_max_threads) != 0)
+		return 1;
 
 	/* printf("Kernel max threads (saved) is %d\n", save_max_threads); */
 
@@ -41,36 +64,39 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	new_max_threads = save_max_threads + 1024;
 
-	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), NULL, 0, &new_max_threads, save_sz) == -1){
-		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl write failed - %s\n",
-			strerror(errno));
+	if (write_max_threads(new_max_threads) != 0)
 		return 1;
-	}
 
-	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), &read_new_max_threads, &save_sz, NULL, 0) == -1){
-		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl read failed - %s\n",
-			strerror(errno));
+	if (read_max_threads(&read_new_max_threads) != 0)
 		return 1;
-	}
 
 	/* printf("Kernel max threads (new) is %d\n", read_new_max_threads); */
 
 	if (read_new_max_threads != new_max_threads) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: read value does not match written values\n");
-		return 1;
+		/* the kernel possibly rejected our updated max threads
+		 * as being too large; try decreasing max threads. */
+
+		new_max_threads = save_max_threads - 1024;
+
+		if (write_max_threads(new_max_threads) != 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		if (read_max_threads(&read_new_max_threads) != 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/* printf("Kernel max threads (new, 2nd attempt) is %d\n", read_new_max_threads); */
+
+		if (read_new_max_threads != new_max_threads) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: read value does not match written values\n");
+			return 1;
+		}
 	}
 
-	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), NULL, 0, &save_max_threads, save_sz) == -1){
-		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl write failed - %s\n",
-			strerror(errno));
+	if (write_max_threads(save_max_threads) != 0)
 		return 1;
-	}
 
-	if (sysctl(name, sizeof(name), &read_new_max_threads, &save_sz, NULL, 0) == -1){
-		fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: sysctl read failed - %s\n",
-			strerror(errno));
+	if (read_max_threads(&read_new_max_threads) != 0)
 		return 1;
-	}
 
 	/* printf("Kernel max threads (saved) is %d\n", read_new_max_threads);*/