diff --git a/comtypes/test/test_logutil.py b/comtypes/test/test_logutil.py
index 04f3bd32..4d116daf 100644
--- a/comtypes/test/test_logutil.py
+++ b/comtypes/test/test_logutil.py
@@ -172,50 +172,62 @@ def open_dbwin_debug_channels() -> Iterator[tuple[int, int, int]]:
         yield (h_buffer_ready, h_data_ready, p_view)
 
 
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def capture_debug_strings(ready: threading.Event, *, interval: int) -> Iterator[Queue]:
-    """Context manager to capture debug strings emitted via `OutputDebugString`.
-    Spawns a listener thread to monitor the debug channels.
-    """
-    captured = Queue()
-    finished = threading.Event()
-
-    def _listener(
-        q: Queue, rdy: threading.Event, fin: threading.Event, pid: int
-    ) -> None:
-        # Create/open named events and file mapping for interprocess communication.
-        # These objects are part of the Windows Debugging API contract.
-        with open_dbwin_debug_channels() as (h_buffer_ready, h_data_ready, p_view):
-            rdy.set()  # Signal to the main thread that listener is ready.
-            while not fin.is_set():  # Loop until the main thread signals to finish.
-                _SetEvent(h_buffer_ready)  # Signal readiness to `OutputDebugString`.
-                # Wait for `OutputDebugString` to signal that data is ready.
-                if _WaitForSingleObject(h_data_ready, interval) == WAIT_OBJECT_0:
-                    # Debug string buffer format: [4 bytes: PID][N bytes: string].
-                    # Check if the process ID in the buffer matches the current PID.
-                    if ctypes.cast(p_view, POINTER(DWORD)).contents.value == pid:
-                        # Extract the null-terminated string, skipping the PID,
-                        # and put it into the queue.
-                        q.put(ctypes.string_at(p_view + 4).strip(b"\x00"))
+def _listen_on_dbwin_channel(
+    interval_ms: int,
+    messages: Queue,
+    ready: threading.Event,
+    stop: threading.Event,
+    pid: int,
+) -> None:
+    # Create/open named events and file mapping for interprocess communication.
+    # These objects are part of the Windows Debugging API contract.
+    with open_dbwin_debug_channels() as (h_buffer_ready, h_data_ready, p_view):
+        ready.set()  # Signal to the main thread that listener is ready.
+        while not stop.is_set():  # Loop until the main thread signals to finish.
+            _SetEvent(h_buffer_ready)  # Signal readiness to `OutputDebugString`.
+            # Wait for `OutputDebugString` to signal that data is ready.
+            if _WaitForSingleObject(h_data_ready, interval_ms) == WAIT_OBJECT_0:
+                # Debug string buffer format: [4 bytes: PID][N bytes: string].
+                # Check if the process ID in the buffer matches the current PID.
+                if ctypes.cast(p_view, POINTER(DWORD)).contents.value == pid:
+                    # Extract the null-terminated string, skipping the PID,
+                    # and put it into the queue.
+                    messages.put(ctypes.string_at(p_view + 4).strip(b"\x00"))
 
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def _run_dbwin_listener(ready: threading.Event, interval_ms: int) -> Iterator[Queue]:
+    messages = Queue()
+    stop = threading.Event()
     th = threading.Thread(
-        target=_listener,
-        args=(captured, ready, finished, _GetCurrentProcessId()),
+        target=_listen_on_dbwin_channel,
+        args=(interval_ms, messages, ready, stop, _GetCurrentProcessId()),
         daemon=True,
     )
     th.start()
     try:
-        yield captured
+        yield messages
     finally:
-        finished.set()
+        stop.set()
         th.join()
 
 
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def capture_debug_strings(*, timeout: float, interval: float) -> Iterator[Queue]:
+    """Context manager to capture debug strings emitted via `OutputDebugString`.
+    Spawns a listener thread to monitor the debug channels.
+
+    Parameters are floats in seconds.
+    """
+    ready = threading.Event()
+    with _run_dbwin_listener(ready, int(interval * 1000)) as messages:
+        ready.wait(timeout=timeout)  # Wait for the listener to be ready
+        yield messages
+
+
 class Test_OutputDebugStringW(ut.TestCase):
     def test(self):
-        ready = threading.Event()
-        with capture_debug_strings(ready, interval=100) as cap:
-            ready.wait(timeout=5)  # Wait for the listener to be ready
+        with capture_debug_strings(timeout=5, interval=0.1) as cap:
             OutputDebugStringW("hello world")
             OutputDebugStringW("test message")
         self.assertEqual(cap.get(), b"hello world")
@@ -224,15 +236,20 @@ def test(self):
 
 class Test_NTDebugHandler(ut.TestCase):
     def test_emit(self):
-        ready = threading.Event()
         handler = NTDebugHandler()
-        logger = logging.getLogger("test_ntdebug_handler")
+        # Direct `Logger()` instantiation for test isolation: bypasses global
+        # registration and prevents any side effects / cross-test pollution.
+        # (The official 'Loggers should NEVER be instantiated directly' rule
+        # targets production code where hierarchy and propagation matter;
+        # here we want neither.)
+        # https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html#logger-objects
+        logger = logging.Logger("test_ntdebug_handler")
         # Clear existing handlers to prevent interference from other tests
+        logger.propagate = False
         logger.handlers = []
         logger.addHandler(handler)
         logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-        with capture_debug_strings(ready, interval=100) as cap:
-            ready.wait(timeout=5)  # Wait for the listener to be ready
+        with capture_debug_strings(timeout=5, interval=0.1) as cap:
             msg = "This is a test message from NTDebugHandler."
             logger.info(msg)
         logger.removeHandler(handler)