diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/arm64/fp/fp-stress.c b/tools/testing/selftests/arm64/fp/fp-stress.c
index 4e62a9199f97ad446b59fc44592e9f7d65029145..35dc07648d52b4243ae88f6096672aa8f36f7bbf 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/arm64/fp/fp-stress.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/arm64/fp/fp-stress.c
@@ -403,6 +403,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int timeout = 10;
 	int cpus, tests, i, j, c;
 	int sve_vl_count, sme_vl_count, fpsimd_per_cpu;
+	bool all_children_started = false;
+	int seen_children;
 	int sve_vls[MAX_VLS], sme_vls[MAX_VLS];
 	struct epoll_event ev;
 	struct sigaction sa;
@@ -526,6 +528,27 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 		/* Otherwise epoll_wait() timed out */
 
+		/*
+		 * If the child processes have not produced output they
+		 * aren't actually running the tests yet .
+		 */
+		if (!all_children_started) {
+			seen_children = 0;
+
+			for (i = 0; i < num_children; i++)
+				if (children[i].output_seen ||
+				    children[i].exited)
+					seen_children++;
+
+			if (seen_children != num_children) {
+				ksft_print_msg("Waiting for %d children\n",
+					       num_children - seen_children);
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			all_children_started = true;
+		}
+
 		for (i = 0; i < num_children; i++)
 			child_tickle(&children[i]);