diff --git a/tests/test_parametric_printer.py b/tests/test_parametric_printer.py
index 37af702..c228921 100644
--- a/tests/test_parametric_printer.py
+++ b/tests/test_parametric_printer.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class TestCaseParametricPrinter(PexpectTestCase.PexpectTestCase):
 
         self._test(['a'], range(1,200), [1], [0])
 
+        self.p.terminate()
 
     def test_random(self):
 
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@ class TestCaseParametricPrinter(PexpectTestCase.PexpectTestCase):
         self._test(['a', 'b', 'c'], [16], [16], [-1, 0, 1])
         self._test(['a', 'b', 'c'], [16, 32, 64], [16, 32, 64], [-1, 0])
 
+        self.p.terminate()
+
     @unittest.skipIf(wexpect.spawn_class_name == 'legacy_wexpect', "legacy has bug around refreshing long consoles")
     def test_long_console(self):
 
@@ -64,6 +67,8 @@ class TestCaseParametricPrinter(PexpectTestCase.PexpectTestCase):
 
         self._test(['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f'], [8, 16, 32, 64], [64, 128, 256], [-1, 0])
 
+        self.p.terminate()
+
     def _test(self, character_list, character_count_list, line_count_list, speed_ms_list):
 
         # print(f'character_list: {character_list}  character_count_list: {character_count_list}  line_count_list: {line_count_list}  speed_ms_list: {speed_ms_list}')
diff --git a/tests/test_readline.py b/tests/test_readline.py
index 8d498d4..85432ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_readline.py
+++ b/tests/test_readline.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class ReadLineTestCase(PexpectTestCase.PexpectTestCase):
         fooPath = python_executable + ' '  + child_script
         prompt = ': '
         num = 5
-        
+
         # Start the child process
         p = wexpect.spawn(fooPath)
         # Wait for prompt
@@ -28,27 +28,39 @@ class ReadLineTestCase(PexpectTestCase.PexpectTestCase):
         p.expect('Bye!\r\n')
         expected_lines = p.before.splitlines(True) # Keep the line end
         expected_lines += [p.match.group()]
-        
+
+        # Termination of the SpawnSocket is slow. We have to wait to prevent the failure of the next test.
+        if wexpect.spawn_class_name == 'SpawnSocket':
+            p.wait()
+
         # Start the child process
         p = wexpect.spawn(fooPath)
         # Wait for prompt
         p.expect(prompt)
-        
+
         p.sendline(str(num))
         for i in range(num +2): # +1 the line of sendline +1: Bye
             line = p.readline()
             self.assertEqual(expected_lines[i], line)
-            
+
+        # Termination of the SpawnSocket is slow. We have to wait to prevent the failure of the next test.
+        if wexpect.spawn_class_name == 'SpawnSocket':
+            p.wait()
+
         # Start the child process
         p = wexpect.spawn(fooPath)
         # Wait for prompt
         p.expect(prompt)
-        
+
         p.sendline(str(num))
         readlines_lines = p.readlines()
         self.assertEqual(expected_lines, readlines_lines)
-        
-            
+
+        # Termination of the SpawnSocket is slow. We have to wait to prevent the failure of the next test.
+        if wexpect.spawn_class_name == 'SpawnSocket':
+            p.wait()
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
 
diff --git a/wexpect/host.py b/wexpect/host.py
index f04f0b8..0bd89f7 100644
--- a/wexpect/host.py
+++ b/wexpect/host.py
@@ -425,13 +425,12 @@ class SpawnBase:
             return True
 
         self.kill()
-        time.sleep(self.delayafterterminate)
-        if not self.isalive():
+        if not self.isalive(timeout = self.delayafterterminate):
             return True
 
         return False
 
-    def isalive(self, trust_console=True):
+    def isalive(self, trust_console=True, timeout=0):
         """True if the child is still alive, false otherwise"""
         if trust_console:
             if self.flag_eof:
@@ -445,8 +444,9 @@ class SpawnBase:
             return False
 
         try:
-            self.exitstatus = self.child_process.wait(timeout=0)
+            self.exitstatus = self.child_process.wait(timeout=timeout)
             logger.info(f'exitstatus: {self.exitstatus}')
+            return False
         except psutil.TimeoutExpired:
             return True
 
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ class SpawnPipe(SpawnBase):
 
         # Sets delay in terminate() method to allow kernel time to update process status. Time in
         # seconds.
-        self.delayafterterminate = 1
+        self.delayafterterminate = 2
 
     def connect_to_child(self):
         pipe_name = 'wexpect_{}'.format(self.console_pid)
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ class SpawnSocket(SpawnBase):
 
         # Sets delay in terminate() method to allow kernel time to update process status. Time in
         # seconds.
-        self.delayafterterminate = 1
+        self.delayafterterminate = 2
 
     def _send_impl(self, s):
         """This sends a string to the child process. This returns the number of