diff --git a/src/tests/core.py b/src/tests/core.py
index 172ae219..cf70689d 100644
--- a/src/tests/core.py
+++ b/src/tests/core.py
@@ -245,6 +245,16 @@ class TestCore(unittest.TestCase):
         self._initiate_bootstrap()
         self._check_connection()
         self._check_knownnodes()
+        # spend another 30 sec to check maxoutboundconnections
+        for _ in range(30):
+            time.sleep(1)
+            self.assertLessEqual(
+                len([
+                    con
+                    for con in BMConnectionPool().outboundConnections.values()
+                    if con.fullyEstablished]),
+                BMConfigParser().safeGetInt(
+                    'bitmessagesettings', 'maxoutboundconnections'))
 
     @unittest.skipIf(tor_port_free, 'no running tor detected')
     def test_bootstrap_tor(self):