diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index c2c56c0abf..edd31632c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ jobs:
             fi
             if [[ "${TFLAGS}" = *'-t'* ]]; then
               TFLAGS+=' !2300'  # Leaks memory and file handle via tool_doswin.c / win32_stdin_read_thread()
+              export CURL_TEST_NO_TASKKILL=1  # experiment to see if it reduces flaky failures
             fi
           fi
           if [ -x "$(cygpath "${SYSTEMROOT}/System32/curl.exe")" ]; then
diff --git a/tests/processhelp.pm b/tests/processhelp.pm
index 1ff51f339e..299bce0d8a 100644
--- a/tests/processhelp.pm
+++ b/tests/processhelp.pm
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ sub pidterm {
                         print "Executing: '$cmd'\n";
                         system($cmd);
                     }
+                    else {
+                        print "taskkill disabled via CURL_TEST_NO_TASKKILL.\n";
+                    }
                 }
                 return;
             }
@@ -240,6 +243,9 @@ sub pidkill {
                         print "Executing: '$cmd'\n";
                         system($cmd);
                     }
+                    else {
+                        print "taskkill disabled via CURL_TEST_NO_TASKKILL.\n";
+                    }
                 }
                 return;
             }