diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
index af656837fbe8b..c60be4f8a11d2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/Utils.scala
@@ -1335,11 +1335,15 @@ private[spark] object Utils extends Logging {
    * Default number of retries in binding to a port.
    */
   val portMaxRetries: Int = {
-    // SparkEnv may be null during tests
-    Option(SparkEnv.get)
-      .flatMap(_.conf.getOption("spark.ports.maxRetries"))
-      .map(_.toInt)
-      .getOrElse(16)
+    if (sys.props.contains("spark.testing")) {
+      // Set a higher number of retries for tests...
+      sys.props.get("spark.ports.maxRetries").map(_.toInt).getOrElse(100)
+    } else {
+      Option(SparkEnv.get)
+        .flatMap(_.conf.getOption("spark.ports.maxRetries"))
+        .map(_.toInt)
+        .getOrElse(16)
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/project/SparkBuild.scala b/project/SparkBuild.scala
index aac621fe53938..03eea7c8b15a2 100644
--- a/project/SparkBuild.scala
+++ b/project/SparkBuild.scala
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ object TestSettings {
     fork := true,
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.test.home=" + sparkHome,
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.testing=1",
+    javaOptions in Test += "-Dspark.ports.maxRetries=100",
     javaOptions in Test += "-Dsun.io.serialization.extendedDebugInfo=true",
     javaOptions in Test ++= System.getProperties.filter(_._1 startsWith "spark")
       .map { case (k,v) => s"-D$k=$v" }.toSeq,