diff --git a/tests/xtimer_msg/main.c b/tests/xtimer_msg/main.c
index 49f0b73348..4ad7262f35 100644
--- a/tests/xtimer_msg/main.c
+++ b/tests/xtimer_msg/main.c
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "thread.h"
 #include "msg.h"
 
+#include "test_utils/expect.h"
+
 char timer_stack[THREAD_STACKSIZE_DEFAULT];
 char timer_stack_local[THREAD_STACKSIZE_DEFAULT];
 
@@ -103,6 +105,8 @@ int main(void)
                   NULL,
                   "timer");
 
+    expect(pid_is_valid(pid));
+
     puts("sending 1st msg");
     m.content.ptr = &msg_a;
     msg_try_send(&m, pid);
@@ -120,6 +124,8 @@ int main(void)
                    NULL,
                    "timer local");
 
+    expect(pid_is_valid(pid2));
+
     while (1) {
         xtimer_sleep(1);
         msg_try_send(&m, pid2);
diff --git a/tests/ztimer_msg/main.c b/tests/ztimer_msg/main.c
index 39d490521f..f4bbf1fce8 100644
--- a/tests/ztimer_msg/main.c
+++ b/tests/ztimer_msg/main.c
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #include "msg.h"
 #include "timex.h"
 
+#include "test_utils/expect.h"
+
 #ifdef MODULE_ZTIMER_MSEC
 #define ZTIMER ZTIMER_MSEC
 #define TICKS_PER_SEC MS_PER_SEC
@@ -112,6 +114,8 @@ int main(void)
                   NULL,
                   "timer");
 
+    expect(pid_is_valid(pid));
+
     puts("sending 1st msg");
     m.content.ptr = &msg_a;
     msg_try_send(&m, pid);
@@ -129,6 +133,8 @@ int main(void)
                    NULL,
                    "timer local");
 
+    expect(pid_is_valid(pid2));
+
     while (1) {
         ztimer_sleep(ZTIMER, 1 * TICKS_PER_SEC);
         msg_try_send(&m, pid2);