diff --git a/src/os/exec/exec_test.go b/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
index ed2a55557d..d29ae697f9 100644
--- a/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
+++ b/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
@@ -1005,6 +1005,9 @@ func TestContext(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestContextCancel(t *testing.T) {
+	if testenv.Builder() == "windows-386-xp" {
+		t.Skipf("known to fail on Windows XP. Issue 17245")
+	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
 	c := helperCommandContext(t, ctx, "cat")