diff --git a/tests/gc/gcleak2.nim b/tests/gc/gcleak2.nim
index 6fdadee895fe2..12578fcdd8e38 100644
--- a/tests/gc/gcleak2.nim
+++ b/tests/gc/gcleak2.nim
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ proc makeObj(): TTestObj =
   result.s = @[1,2,3]
 
 const collectAlways = defined(gcMarkAndSweep) or defined(boehmgc)
+const isDeterministic = collectAlways or defined(gcArc) or defined(gcOrc)
 
 var memMax = 0 # peak
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ else:
   var memMin = -1 # right after a peak
   var numCollections = 0
 
-let numIter = when collectAlways: 1_000 else: 1_000_000
+let numIter = when isDeterministic: 1_000 else: 1_000_000
   ## full collection is expensive, and the memory doesn't change after
   ## each iteration so there's no point in a large `numIter` (this was taking
   ## 350s for `nim c -r -d:release --gc:boehm` + `nim c -r --gc:boehm`, 50%
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ proc inProc() =
     var obj: TTestObj
     obj = makeObj()
     let mem = getOccupiedMem()
-    when collectAlways:
+    when isDeterministic:
       if i <= 2:
         memMax = mem
         doAssert memMax <= 50_000 # adjust as needed
@@ -69,10 +70,12 @@ proc inProc() =
       memPrevious = mem
 
 inProc()
-when collectAlways:
-  let msg = getOccupiedMem()
+let mem = getOccupiedMem()
+var msg = "no leak: "
+when isDeterministic:
+  msg.add $(mem, memMax)
+  echo msg
 else:
-  when not defined(gcOrc): # getOccupiedMem() is always 0, wich seems like a bug
-    doAssert numCollections > 1000 # 3999 on local OSX; leaving some slack
-  let msg = $(getOccupiedMem(), memMin, memMax, numCollections, numIter)
-echo "no leak: ", msg
+  msg.add $(mem, memMin, memMax, numCollections, numIter)
+  echo msg
+  doAssert numCollections > 1000 # 3999 on local OSX; leaving some slack