@@ -1378,13 +1378,15 @@
 		  (not (directory-exists? toptest-path)))
 	      (begin
 		(debug:print-info 2 *default-log-port* "Creating " toptest-path " and link " lnkpath)
 		(handle-exceptions
 		    exn
-		  (begin
-		    (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "failed to create directory " toptest-path ", exn=" exn)
-		    #f)
+		  (if (directory-exists? toptest-path) ;; it was likely created in parallel
+		      #t
+		      (begin
+			(debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "failed to create directory " toptest-path ", exn=" exn)
+			#f))
 		 (create-directory toptest-path #t))
 		(hash-table-set! *toptest-paths* testname toptest-path)))))
 
     ;; The toptest path has been created, the link to the test in the linktree has
     ;; been created. Now, if this is an iterated test the real test dir must be created
@@ -1392,14 +1394,16 @@
 	(begin ;; (let ((lnktarget (conc lnkpath "/" item-path)))
 	  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "Setting up sub test run area")
 	  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* " - creating run area in " test-path)
 	  (handle-exceptions
 	   exn
-	   (begin
-	     (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* " Failed to create directory " test-path ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn)
-				", exiting, exn=" exn)
-	     (exit 1))
+	   (if (directory-exists? test-path)
+	       #t
+	       (begin
+		 (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* " Failed to create directory " test-path ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn)
+				    ", exiting, exn=" exn)
+		 (exit 1)))
 	   (create-directory test-path #t))
 	  (debug:print 2 *default-log-port* 
 		       " - creating link from: " test-path "\n"
 		       "                   to: " lnktarget)