diff --git a/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/NestUI.scala b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/NestUI.scala
index 3fb7251..0c96ac4 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/NestUI.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/NestUI.scala
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class NestUI(val verbose: Boolean = false, val debug: Boolean = false, val terse
   }
 
   val color = new Colors(colorEnabled)
+  private val realSysErr = System.err
   import color._
 
   private[this] val (_outline, _success, _failure, _warning, _default) =
@@ -137,15 +138,15 @@ class NestUI(val verbose: Boolean = false, val debug: Boolean = false, val terse
   }
 
   def verbose(msg: String): Unit =
-    if (verbose) System.err.println(msg)
+    if (verbose) realSysErr.println(msg)
 
   def debug(msg: String): Unit =
-    if (debug) System.err.println(msg)
+    if (debug) realSysErr.println(msg)
 
   def showAllJVMInfo(): Unit = {
     vlog(vmArgString)
     vlog(allPropertiesString)
   }
 
-  def vlog(msg: => String) = if (verbose) System.err.println(msg)
+  def vlog(msg: => String) = if (verbose) realSysErr.println(msg)
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/StreamCapture.scala b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/StreamCapture.scala
index a1cea0c..be059e6 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/StreamCapture.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/StreamCapture.scala
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ object StreamCapture {
     val modified = new java.util.Properties()
     modified.putAll(saved)
     extra.foreach { case (k, v) => modified.setProperty(k, v) }
+    // Trying to avoid other threads seeing the new properties object prior to the new entries
+    // https://github.com/scala/scala/pull/6391#issuecomment-371346171
+    UnsafeAccess.U.storeFence()
     System.setProperties(modified)
     try {
       action
diff --git a/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/UnsafeAccess.java b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/UnsafeAccess.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b686603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/scala/tools/partest/nest/UnsafeAccess.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package scala.tools.partest.nest;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Field;
+
+@SuppressWarnings("unsafe")
+public class UnsafeAccess {
+    public final static sun.misc.Unsafe U;
+
+    static {
+        U = lookupUnsafe();
+    }
+
+    private static sun.misc.Unsafe lookupUnsafe() {
+        try {
+            sun.misc.Unsafe found = null;
+            for (Field field : sun.misc.Unsafe.class.getDeclaredFields()) {
+                if (field.getType() == sun.misc.Unsafe.class) {
+                    field.setAccessible(true);
+                    found = (sun.misc.Unsafe) field.get(null);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            if (found == null) throw new IllegalStateException("Can't find instance of sun.misc.Unsafe");
+            else return found;
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            throw new ExceptionInInitializerError(t);
+        }
+    }
+}
+