diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index dcbae047..a41faf38 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_inc
 from distutils.ccompiler import get_default_compiler
 from distutils.dep_util import newer_group
 from distutils.util import get_platform
+try:
+    from distutils.msvc9compiler import MSVCCompiler
+except ImportError:
+    MSVCCompiler = None
 try:
     from distutils.command.build_py import build_py_2to3 as build_py
 except ImportError:
@@ -154,11 +158,9 @@ class psycopg_build_ext(build_ext):
     def build_extension(self, ext):
         build_ext.build_extension(self, ext)
 
-        # For MSVC compiler and Python 2.6/2.7 (aka VS 2008), re-insert the
-        #  Manifest into the resulting .pyd file.
-        sysVer = sys.version_info[:2]
-        if self.get_compiler().lower().startswith('msvc') and \
-                sysVer in ((2,6), (2,7)):
+        # For Python versions that use MSVC compiler 2008, re-insert the
+        #  manifest into the resulting .pyd file.
+        if MSVCCompiler and isinstance(self.compiler, MSVCCompiler):
             platform = get_platform()
             # Default to the x86 manifest
             manifest = '_psycopg.vc9.x86.manifest'
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index f4b73173..fb0c25cd 100755
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class ConnectionTests(unittest.TestCase):
         def slave():
             cnn = psycopg2.connect(dsn)
             cur = cnn.cursor()
-            cur.execute("select pg_sleep(2)")
+            cur.execute("select pg_sleep(3)")
             cur.close()
             cnn.close()
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class ConnectionTests(unittest.TestCase):
         t2.start()
         t1.join()
         t2.join()
-        self.assert_(time.time() - t0 < 3,
+        self.assert_(time.time() - t0 < 5,
             "something broken in concurrency")
 
     def test_encoding_name(self):