diff --git a/pyodesys/tests/test_symbolic.py b/pyodesys/tests/test_symbolic.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/pyodesys/tests/test_symbolic.py
+++ b/pyodesys/tests/test_symbolic.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def test_long_chain_banded_scipy(n):
         min_time_band = min(min_time_band, time_band)
     check(yout_dens[-1, :], n, p, a, atol, rtol, 1.5)
     check(yout_band[-1, :], n, p, a, atol, rtol, 1.5)
-    assert min_time_dens > min_time_band  # will fail sometimes due to load
+    assert min_time_dens*2 > min_time_band  # (2x: fails sometimes due to load)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(sym is None, reason='package sym missing')
add safety factor for timings in test suite