diff --git a/thunder/tests/test_grad.py b/thunder/tests/test_grad.py
index 9d8c6aef0e..a163821f52 100644
--- a/thunder/tests/test_grad.py
+++ b/thunder/tests/test_grad.py
@@ -1805,16 +1805,19 @@ def forward(self, *args):
         inps = torch.randn(512, 1024, requires_grad=True)
 
     jm = thunder.jit(m, executors=())  # no rematerialization
+    res = jm(inps)
+    res.sum().backward()
+
+    torch.cuda.reset_peak_memory_stats()
     mem_base = torch.cuda.memory_allocated()
-    torch.cuda.reset_accumulated_memory_stats()
     res = jm(inps)
     res.sum().backward()
     mem_max = torch.cuda.max_memory_allocated()
-    # the rematerialization pass moved all(?) recomputation to the front,
-    # making the peak mem about 46MB.
+    # without chewckpointing the peak mem about 43MB.
     # With checkpointing as coded in the model and recomputation where the
-    # values are used, we get about 12-20MB, so we put the barrier at 24MB
-    assert mem_max - mem_base < 24 * 2**20
+    # values are used, we get a little over 10MB, so we put the barrier at 16MB
+    mb_used = (mem_max - mem_base) / 2**20
+    assert mb_used < 16
 
 
 def test_inconsistent_output_length_grad_transform():