diff --git a/src/util.rs b/src/util.rs
index a397998d..7a18fa83 100644
--- a/src/util.rs
+++ b/src/util.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
+
+use std;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::mpsc::{self, Receiver};
+use std::thread;
 
 use time;
 
+use errors::*;
+
 fn escape_for_slack(str: &str) -> String {
     str.replace("&", "&amp;").replace("<", "&lt;").replace(">", "&gt;")
 }
@@ -88,6 +94,33 @@ pub fn parse_query(query_params: Option<&str>) -> HashMap<String, String> {
         .collect::<HashMap<_, _>>()
 }
 
+// cf. https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/39364
+pub fn recv_timeout<T>(rx: &Receiver<T>, timeout: std::time::Duration) -> Result<T> {
+    let sleep_time = std::time::Duration::from_millis(50);
+    let mut time_left = timeout;
+    loop {
+        match rx.try_recv() {
+            Ok(r) => {
+                return Ok(r);
+            }
+            Err(mpsc::TryRecvError::Empty) => {
+                match time_left.checked_sub(sleep_time) {
+                    Some(sub) => {
+                        time_left = sub;
+                        thread::sleep(sleep_time);
+                    }
+                    None => {
+                        return Err("Timed out waiting".into());
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            Err(mpsc::TryRecvError::Disconnected) => {
+                return Err("Channel disconnected!".into());
+            }
+        };
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/tests/github_handler_test.rs b/tests/github_handler_test.rs
index 57ce2b24..ae1548e8 100644
--- a/tests/github_handler_test.rs
+++ b/tests/github_handler_test.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use octobot::repo_version::RepoVersionRequest;
 use octobot::repos;
 use octobot::server::github_handler::GithubEventHandler;
 use octobot::slack::{self, SlackAttachmentBuilder};
+use octobot::util;
 use octobot::worker::{WorkMessage, WorkSender};
 
 use mocks::mock_github::MockGithub;
@@ -56,7 +57,9 @@ impl GithubHandlerTest {
         let rx = self.pr_merge_rx.take().unwrap();
         thread::spawn(move || {
             for branch in branches {
-                let msg = rx.recv_timeout(timeout).expect(&format!("expected to recv msg for branch: {}", branch));
+                let msg = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout).expect(
+                    &format!("expected to recv msg for branch: {}", branch),
+                );
                 match msg {
                     WorkMessage::WorkItem(req) => {
                         assert_eq!(branch, req.target_branch);
@@ -67,7 +70,61 @@ impl GithubHandlerTest {
                 };
             }
 
-            let last_message = rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
+            let last_message = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout);
+            assert!(last_message.is_err());
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn expect_will_force_push_notify(&mut self, before_hash: &'static str, after_hash: &'static str) -> JoinHandle<()> {
+        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
+        let rx = self.force_push_rx.take().expect("force-push message");
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            let msg = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout).expect(&format!(
+                "expected to recv force-push for {} -> {}",
+                before_hash,
+                after_hash
+            ));
+            match msg {
+                WorkMessage::WorkItem(req) => {
+                    assert_eq!(before_hash, req.before_hash);
+                    assert_eq!(after_hash, req.after_hash);
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    panic!("Unexpected messages: {:?}", msg);
+                }
+            };
+
+            let last_message = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout);
+            assert!(last_message.is_err());
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn expect_will_not_force_push_notify(&mut self) -> JoinHandle<()> {
+        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
+        let rx = self.force_push_rx.take().expect("force-push message");
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            let last_message = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout);
+            assert!(last_message.is_err());
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn expect_will_run_version_script(&mut self, branch: &'static str, commit_hash: &'static str) -> JoinHandle<()> {
+        // Note: no expectations are set on mock_jira since we have stubbed out the background worker thread
+        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
+        let rx = self.repo_version_rx.take().unwrap();
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            let msg = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout).expect(&format!("expected to recv version script msg"));
+            match msg {
+                WorkMessage::WorkItem(req) => {
+                    assert_eq!(branch, req.branch);
+                    assert_eq!(commit_hash, req.commit_hash);
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    panic!("Unexpected messages: {:?}", msg);
+                }
+            };
+
+            let last_message = util::recv_timeout(&rx, timeout);
             assert!(last_message.is_err());
         })
     }
@@ -1239,26 +1296,7 @@ fn test_push_force_notify() {
     ]);
 
     // Setup background thread to validate force-push msg
-    let expect_thread;
-    {
-        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
-        let rx = test.force_push_rx.take().expect("force-push message");
-        expect_thread = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let msg = rx.recv_timeout(timeout).expect(&format!("expected to recv msg"));
-            match msg {
-                WorkMessage::WorkItem(req) => {
-                    assert_eq!("abcdef0000", req.before_hash);
-                    assert_eq!("1111abcdef", req.after_hash);
-                }
-                _ => {
-                    panic!("Unexpected messages: {:?}", msg);
-                }
-            };
-
-            let last_message = rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
-            assert!(last_message.is_err());
-        });
-    }
+    let expect_thread = test.expect_will_force_push_notify("abcdef0000", "1111abcdef");
 
     let resp = test.handler.handle_event().expect("handled event");
     assert_eq!((StatusCode::Ok, "push".into()), resp);
@@ -1296,15 +1334,7 @@ fn test_push_force_notify_wip() {
     // Note: not slack expectations here. It should not notify slack for WIP PRs.
 
     // Setup background thread to validate force-push msg
-    let expect_thread;
-    {
-        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
-        let rx = test.force_push_rx.take().unwrap();
-        expect_thread = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let last_message = rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
-            assert!(last_message.is_err());
-        });
-    }
+    let expect_thread = test.expect_will_not_force_push_notify();
 
     let resp = test.handler.handle_event().unwrap();
     assert_eq!((StatusCode::Ok, "push".into()), resp);
@@ -1358,15 +1388,7 @@ fn test_push_force_notify_ignored() {
     ]);
 
     // Setup background thread to validate force-push msg
-    let expect_thread;
-    {
-        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
-        let rx = test.force_push_rx.take().unwrap();
-        expect_thread = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let last_message = rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
-            assert!(last_message.is_err());
-        });
-    }
+    let expect_thread = test.expect_will_not_force_push_notify();
 
     let resp = test.handler.handle_event().unwrap();
     assert_eq!((StatusCode::Ok, "push".into()), resp);
@@ -1416,11 +1438,11 @@ fn some_jira_commits() -> Vec<Commit> {
 
 fn many_jira_commits() -> Vec<Commit> {
     let commit = Commit {
-            sha: "ffeedd00110011".into(),
-            html_url: "http://commit/ffeedd00110011".into(),
-            author: Some(User::new("bob-author")),
-            commit: CommitDetails { message: "Fix [SER-1] Add the feature\n\nThe body ([OTHER-123])".into() },
-        };
+        sha: "ffeedd00110011".into(),
+        html_url: "http://commit/ffeedd00110011".into(),
+        author: Some(User::new("bob-author")),
+        commit: CommitDetails { message: "Fix [SER-1] Add the feature\n\nThe body ([OTHER-123])".into() },
+    };
 
     return (0..21).collect::<Vec<u32>>().into_iter().map(|_| commit.clone()).collect();
 }
@@ -1657,27 +1679,7 @@ fn test_jira_push_triggers_version_script() {
     test.handler.data.commits = Some(some_jira_push_commits());
 
     // Setup background thread to validate version msg
-    // Note: no expectations are set on mock_jira since we have stubbed out the background worker thread
-    let expect_thread;
-    {
-        let timeout = Duration::from_millis(300);
-        let rx = test.repo_version_rx.take().unwrap();
-        expect_thread = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let msg = rx.recv_timeout(timeout).expect(&format!("expected to recv msg"));
-            match msg {
-                WorkMessage::WorkItem(req) => {
-                    assert_eq!("master", req.branch);
-                    assert_eq!("1111abcdef", req.commit_hash);
-                }
-                _ => {
-                    panic!("Unexpected messages: {:?}", msg);
-                }
-            };
-
-            let last_message = rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
-            assert!(last_message.is_err());
-        });
-    }
+    let expect_thread = test.expect_will_run_version_script("master", "1111abcdef");
 
     let resp = test.handler.handle_event().unwrap();
     assert_eq!((StatusCode::Ok, "push".into()), resp);
diff --git a/tests/mocks/mock_slack.rs b/tests/mocks/mock_slack.rs
index f3287d8e..2d80dbff 100644
--- a/tests/mocks/mock_slack.rs
+++ b/tests/mocks/mock_slack.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::thread::{self, JoinHandle};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use octobot::slack::SlackRequest;
+use octobot::util;
 use octobot::worker::{WorkMessage, WorkSender};
 
 pub struct MockSlack {
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ impl MockSlack {
         let thread = Some(thread::spawn(move || {
             let timeout = Duration::from_millis(1000);
             loop {
-                let req = slack_rx.recv_timeout(timeout);
+                let req = util::recv_timeout(&slack_rx, timeout);
                 match req {
                     Ok(WorkMessage::WorkItem(req)) => {
                         let front = expected_calls2.lock().unwrap().pop();