diff --git a/libtest/unittest.cc b/libtest/unittest.cc
index 6981e382..80ddadba 100644
--- a/libtest/unittest.cc
+++ b/libtest/unittest.cc
@@ -921,8 +921,21 @@ static test_return_t get_free_port_TEST(void *)
 {
   in_port_t ret_port;
   ASSERT_TRUE((ret_port= get_free_port()));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(get_free_port() != default_port());
-  ASSERT_TRUE(get_free_port() != get_free_port());
+
+  in_port_t second_port= get_free_port();
+  ASSERT_TRUE(second_port != default_port());
+
+  in_port_t third_port= get_free_port();
+  in_port_t fourth_port= get_free_port();
+  ASSERT_TRUE(third_port != fourth_port);
+
+  // These are throwaway reservations never tied to a Server, so release them
+  // ourselves; default_port()'s own reservation is intentionally left alone
+  // since it stays valid for the lifetime of the process.
+  release_port(ret_port);
+  release_port(second_port);
+  release_port(third_port);
+  release_port(fourth_port);
 
   return TEST_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/tests/context.h b/tests/context.h
index ca839cb4..22f20883 100644
--- a/tests/context.h
+++ b/tests/context.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class Context
   {
     extra_clear();
     _servers.clear();
+    libtest::release_port(_port);
   }
 
   const char *worker_function_name() const
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ class Context
 
     _worker= NULL;
     extra_clear();
+    libtest::release_port(_port);
     _port= get_free_port();
   }
 };
diff --git a/tests/cycle.cc b/tests/cycle.cc
index a420c036..2f8b84e7 100644
--- a/tests/cycle.cc
+++ b/tests/cycle.cc
@@ -56,9 +56,15 @@ struct cycle_context_st
     reset();
   }
 
+  ~cycle_context_st()
+  {
+    libtest::release_port(port);
+  }
+
   void reset()
   {
     servers.clear();
+    libtest::release_port(port);
     port= get_free_port();
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/gearmand.cc b/tests/gearmand.cc
index 5701c7ab..a25945af 100644
--- a/tests/gearmand.cc
+++ b/tests/gearmand.cc
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@ static test_return_t long_keepalive_start_TEST(void *)
   char port_str[1024];
   ASSERT_TRUE(snprintf(port_str, sizeof(port_str), "--port=%d", int32_t(port)) > 0);
 
+  // --check-args only validates arguments; gearmand never binds this port,
+  // so there's nothing for anyone else to release it later.
+  libtest::release_port(port);
+
   const char *args[]= {
     port_str,
     "--check-args",
@@ -550,6 +554,10 @@ static test_return_t config_file_SIMPLE_TEST(void *)
   char port_str[1024];
   ASSERT_TRUE(snprintf(port_str, sizeof(port_str), "%d", int32_t(port)) > 0);
 
+  // --check-args only validates the config file; gearmand never binds this
+  // port, so there's nothing for anyone else to release it later.
+  libtest::release_port(port);
+
   std::string config_file= "etc/gearmand.conf";
   {
     char current_directory_buffer[1024];
diff --git a/tests/httpd_test.cc b/tests/httpd_test.cc
index 0c2c85f1..23a6c666 100644
--- a/tests/httpd_test.cc
+++ b/tests/httpd_test.cc
@@ -154,7 +154,13 @@ static void *world_create(server_startup_st& servers, test_return_t& error)
   length= snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "--http-port=%d", int(http_port));
   fatal_assert(length > 0 and sizeof(length) < sizeof(buffer));
   const char *argv[]= { "--protocol=http", buffer, 0 };
-  if (server_startup(servers, "gearmand", libtest::default_port(), argv) == false)
+  bool started= server_startup(servers, "gearmand", libtest::default_port(), argv);
+
+  // http_port is only ever used as the --http-port= value above; it's never
+  // the primary port of a Server object, so nothing else will release it.
+  libtest::release_port(http_port);
+
+  if (started == false)
   {
     error= TEST_SKIPPED;
     return NULL;
diff --git a/tests/round_robin.cc b/tests/round_robin.cc
index 8b8e463b..38f37faf 100644
--- a/tests/round_robin.cc
+++ b/tests/round_robin.cc
@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@ struct Context
 
   ~Context()
   {
-    reset();
+    servers.clear();
+    libtest::release_port(_port);
   }
 
   void reset()
   {
     servers.clear();
+    libtest::release_port(_port);
     _port= libtest::get_free_port();
     _retries= 0;
   }