diff --git a/tests/ui/panic-handler/weak-lang-item-2.rs b/tests/ui/panic-handler/weak-lang-item-2.rs
index a429d8fabc72b..2cc5f23b45eb1 100644
--- a/tests/ui/panic-handler/weak-lang-item-2.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/panic-handler/weak-lang-item-2.rs
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 // run-pass
 // aux-build:weak-lang-items.rs
 
-// ignore-emscripten no threads support
 // pretty-expanded FIXME #23616
 
 extern crate weak_lang_items as other;
 
-use std::thread;
-
 fn main() {
-    let _ = thread::spawn(move|| {
-        other::foo()
-    });
+    // The goal of the test is just to make sure other::foo() is referenced at link time. Since
+    // the function panics, to prevent it from running we gate it behind an always-false `if` that
+    // is not going to be optimized away.
+    if std::hint::black_box(false) {
+        other::foo();
+    }
 }