diff --git a/tests/referrers.sh b/tests/referrers.sh
index e3f8e07bc..aa5edb555 100644
--- a/tests/referrers.sh
+++ b/tests/referrers.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ source common.sh
 # This takes way to long on Cygwin (because process creation is so slow...).
 if test "$system" = i686-cygwin; then exit 0; fi
 
-max=2500
+max=1000
 
 reference=$NIX_STORE_DIR/abcdef
 touch $reference