diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index ec5c099372b..8fc66a764da 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 #
 #   * `CFG_ENABLE_VALGRIND=1` - Run tests under valgrind
 #   * `VALGRIND_COMPILE=1` - Run the compiler itself under valgrind
-#                            (may require `CFG_ENABLE_VALGRIND`)
+#                            (requires `CFG_ENABLE_VALGRIND`)
 #
 #   * `NO_REBUILD=1` - Don't rebootstrap when testing std
 #                      (and possibly other crates)
diff --git a/mk/platform.mk b/mk/platform.mk
index cd86b273c6d..9545a1fb52d 100644
--- a/mk/platform.mk
+++ b/mk/platform.mk
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ endif
 # see https://blog.mozilla.org/jseward/2012/06/05/valgrind-now-supports-jemalloc-builds-directly/
 ifdef CFG_VALGRIND
   CFG_VALGRIND += --error-exitcode=100 \
-                  --soname-synonyms=somalloc=NONE \
+                  --fair-sched=try \
                   --quiet \
+                  --soname-synonyms=somalloc=NONE \
                   --suppressions=$(CFG_SRC_DIR)src/etc/x86.supp \
                   $(OS_SUPP)
   ifdef CFG_ENABLE_HELGRIND