--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/containers/docker/EventGeneratorLoop.java	Fri Oct 11 09:43:18 2019 +0200
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/containers/docker/EventGeneratorLoop.java	Fri Oct 11 09:55:35 2019 +0200
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         }
         int howLong = Integer.parseInt(args[0]);
 
-        System.out.println(MAIN_METHOD_STARTED);
+        System.out.println(MAIN_METHOD_STARTED + ", argument is " + howLong);
 
         for (int i=0; i < howLong; i++) {
             SimpleEvent ev = new SimpleEvent();
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
             try { Thread.sleep(1000); } catch (InterruptedException e) {}
             System.out.print(".");
         }
+
+        System.out.println("EventGeneratorLoop is coming to an end");
     }
 
 }

--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/containers/docker/TestJcmdWithSideCar.java	Fri Oct 11 09:43:18 2019 +0200
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/containers/docker/TestJcmdWithSideCar.java	Fri Oct 11 09:55:35 2019 +0200
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 public class TestJcmdWithSideCar {
     private static final String IMAGE_NAME = Common.imageName("jfr-jcmd");
     private static final int TIME_TO_RUN_MAIN_PROCESS = (int) (30 * Utils.TIMEOUT_FACTOR); // seconds
-    private static final long TIME_TO_WAIT_FOR_MAIN_METHOD_START = 5 * 1000; // milliseconds
+    private static final long TIME_TO_WAIT_FOR_MAIN_METHOD_START = 50 * 1000; // milliseconds
     private static final String MAIN_CONTAINER_NAME = "test-container-main";
 
     public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@
                 .addDockerOpts("--volume", Paths.get(".").toAbsolutePath() + ":/workdir/")
                 .addJavaOpts("-XX:+UsePerfData")
                 .addClassOptions("" + TIME_TO_RUN_MAIN_PROCESS);
+            // avoid large Xmx
+            opts.appendTestJavaOptions = false;
 
             List<String> cmd = DockerTestUtils.buildJavaCommand(opts);
             ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder(cmd);
@@ -232,9 +234,21 @@
         }
 
         public void waitForAndCheck(long timeout) throws Exception {
-            waitFor(timeout);
-            if (p.exitValue() != 0) {
-                throw new RuntimeException("DockerThread stopped unexpectedly");
+            int exitValue = -1;
+            int retryCount = 3;
+
+            do {
+                waitFor(timeout);
+                try {
+                    exitValue = p.exitValue();
+                } catch(IllegalThreadStateException ex) {
+                    System.out.println("IllegalThreadStateException occured when calling exitValue()");
+                    retryCount--;
+                }
+            } while (exitValue == -1 && retryCount > 0);
+
+            if (exitValue != 0) {
+                throw new RuntimeException("DockerThread stopped unexpectedly, non-zero exit value is " + exitValue);
             }
         }