diff --git a/_pytest/pytester.py b/_pytest/pytester.py
index 651160cc7..a8bb39794 100644
--- a/_pytest/pytester.py
+++ b/_pytest/pytester.py
@@ -1002,8 +1002,6 @@ class Testdir:
         pexpect = pytest.importorskip("pexpect", "3.0")
         if hasattr(sys, 'pypy_version_info') and '64' in platform.machine():
             pytest.skip("pypy-64 bit not supported")
-        if sys.platform == "darwin":
-            pytest.xfail("pexpect does not work reliably on darwin?!")
         if sys.platform.startswith("freebsd"):
             pytest.xfail("pexpect does not work reliably on freebsd")
         logfile = self.tmpdir.join("spawn.out").open("wb")
diff --git a/testing/test_pdb.py b/testing/test_pdb.py
index d79d71262..b22f5128e 100644
--- a/testing/test_pdb.py
+++ b/testing/test_pdb.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import sys
+import platform
 
 import _pytest._code
 import pytest
@@ -76,6 +77,12 @@ class TestPDB:
         rest = child.read().decode("utf8")
         assert "1 failed" in rest
         assert "def test_1" not in rest
+        self.flush(child)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def flush(child):
+        if platform.system() == 'Darwin':
+            return
         if child.isalive():
             child.wait()
 
@@ -95,8 +102,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.sendeof()
         rest = child.read().decode("utf8")
         assert 'debug.me' in rest
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_capture(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -111,8 +117,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         rest = child.read().decode("utf8")
         assert "1 failed" in rest
         assert "getrekt" not in rest
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_exception(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -130,8 +135,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.expect(".*function")
         child.sendeof()
         child.expect("1 failed")
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_on_collection_issue181(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -143,8 +147,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.expect("(Pdb)")
         child.sendeof()
         child.expect("1 error")
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_on_internal_error(self, testdir):
         testdir.makeconftest("""
@@ -156,8 +159,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         #child.expect(".*import pytest.*")
         child.expect("(Pdb)")
         child.sendeof()
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_capturing_simple(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -177,8 +179,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         assert "1 failed" in rest
         assert "def test_1" in rest
         assert "hello17" in rest # out is captured
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_set_trace_interception(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -193,8 +194,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         rest = child.read().decode("utf8")
         assert "1 failed" in rest
         assert "reading from stdin while output" not in rest
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_and_capsys(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -209,8 +209,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.expect("hello1")
         child.sendeof()
         child.read()
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_set_trace_capturing_afterwards(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -229,8 +228,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.expect("hello")
         child.sendeof()
         child.read()
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_doctest(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -249,8 +247,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.sendeof()
         rest = child.read().decode("utf8")
         assert "1 failed" in rest
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_interaction_capturing_twice(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -276,8 +273,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         assert "def test_1" in rest
         assert "hello17" in rest # out is captured
         assert "hello18" in rest # out is captured
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_used_outside_test(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -288,7 +284,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child = testdir.spawn("%s %s" %(sys.executable, p1))
         child.expect("x = 5")
         child.sendeof()
-        child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_used_in_generate_tests(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -302,7 +298,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child = testdir.spawn_pytest(str(p1))
         child.expect("x = 5")
         child.sendeof()
-        child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_collection_failure_is_shown(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""xxx """)
@@ -331,8 +327,7 @@ class TestPDB:
         child.expect("enter_pdb_hook")
         child.send('c\n')
         child.sendeof()
-        if child.isalive():
-            child.wait()
+        self.flush(child)
 
     def test_pdb_custom_cls(self, testdir):
         called = []