diff --git a/scripts/benchmark.test b/scripts/benchmark.test
index 7762b54f54..5b6ed89e65 100755
--- a/scripts/benchmark.test
+++ b/scripts/benchmark.test
@@ -60,8 +60,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/crl-revoked.test b/scripts/crl-revoked.test
index 95a8d1470e..119e651dd9 100755
--- a/scripts/crl-revoked.test
+++ b/scripts/crl-revoked.test
@@ -63,8 +63,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 abort_trap() {
     echo "script aborted"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/dtls.test b/scripts/dtls.test
index 1aa0f78c6d..d1a461b629 100755
--- a/scripts/dtls.test
+++ b/scripts/dtls.test
@@ -39,8 +39,12 @@ if [ "${AM_BWRAPPED-}" != "yes" ]; then
 fi
 
 kill_server() {
+    sleepseconds=1
     for i in $(jobs -pr); do
         if [ "$i" != "$TCPDUMP_PID" ]; then
+            # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+            sleep $sleepseconds
+            sleepseconds=0
             kill -9 $i
         fi
     done
diff --git a/scripts/openssl.test b/scripts/openssl.test
index b41d4499af..ff4e01e61c 100755
--- a/scripts/openssl.test
+++ b/scripts/openssl.test
@@ -141,14 +141,21 @@ do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
     IFS=$OIFS #restore separator
+    sleepseconds=1
     for s in $servers
     do
         f2=${s%:*}
         sname=${f2%:*}
         pid=${f2##*:}
         port=${s##*:}
-        echo "killing server: $sname ($port)"
-        kill -9 "$pid"
+        if kill -0 "$pid"
+        then
+            # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+            sleep $sleepseconds
+            sleepseconds=0
+            echo "killing server: $sname ($port)"
+            kill -9 "$pid"
+        fi
     done
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/pkcallbacks.test b/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
index 0a6fb2d7b5..a46dddea89 100755
--- a/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
+++ b/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
@@ -54,8 +54,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
@@ -67,8 +69,10 @@ do_cleanup() {
 abort_trap() {
     echo "script aborted"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/psk.test b/scripts/psk.test
index 10efe2ecfb..c6469e6c7a 100755
--- a/scripts/psk.test
+++ b/scripts/psk.test
@@ -63,8 +63,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/resume.test b/scripts/resume.test
index 06f25be003..07488f10b8 100755
--- a/scripts/resume.test
+++ b/scripts/resume.test
@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi
diff --git a/scripts/tls13.test b/scripts/tls13.test
index 085ffc1806..e2ef3c9122 100755
--- a/scripts/tls13.test
+++ b/scripts/tls13.test
@@ -74,8 +74,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid 2>/dev/null
         server_pid=$no_pid
diff --git a/scripts/trusted_peer.test b/scripts/trusted_peer.test
index f616a5ee99..46d7342868 100755
--- a/scripts/trusted_peer.test
+++ b/scripts/trusted_peer.test
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ remove_ready_file() {
 do_cleanup() {
     echo "in cleanup"
 
-    if  [ $server_pid != $no_pid ]
+    if [ $server_pid != $no_pid ] && kill -0 $server_pid
     then
+        # sleep to give sanitizers time to dump backtraces.
+        sleep 1
         echo "killing server"
         kill -9 $server_pid
     fi