diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/tests/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/tests/test_views.py
index e4bab98161..872b643f1f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/tests/test_views.py
@@ -447,22 +447,23 @@ class SingleThreadTestCase(ForumsEnableMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase):
             )
 
 
-class AllowOneLessInt(int):
+class AllowPlusOrMinusOneInt(int):
     """
     A workaround for the fact that assertNumQueries doesn't let you
     specify a range or any tolerance. An 'int' that is 'equal to' its value,
-    but also its value -  1
+    but also its value +/- 1
     """
 
     def __init__(self, value):
         super().__init__()
-        self.values = (value, value - 1)
+        self.value = value
+        self.values = (value, value - 1, value + 1)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return other in self.values
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "{} or {}".format(*self.values)
+        return "({} +/- 1)".format(self.value)
 
 
 @ddt.ddt
@@ -543,9 +544,10 @@ class SingleThreadQueryCountTestCase(ForumsEnableMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase):
         # Test uncached first, then cached now that the cache is warm.
         cached_calls = [
             [num_uncached_mongo_calls, num_uncached_sql_queries],
-            # Sometimes there will be one fewer sql call than expected, because sometimes the call to
-            # CourseMode.modes_for_course gets cached and doesn't hit the DB. EDUCATOR-5167
-            [num_cached_mongo_calls, AllowOneLessInt(num_cached_sql_queries)],
+            # Sometimes there will be one more or fewer sql call than expected, because the call to
+            # CourseMode.modes_for_course sometimes does / doesn't get cached and does / doesn't hit the DB.
+            # EDUCATOR-5167
+            [num_cached_mongo_calls, AllowPlusOrMinusOneInt(num_cached_sql_queries)],
         ]
         for expected_mongo_calls, expected_sql_queries in cached_calls:
             with self.assertNumQueries(expected_sql_queries, table_blacklist=QUERY_COUNT_TABLE_BLACKLIST):