diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_util/target/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_coverage.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_util/target/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_coverage.py
index 577a498e253..efc8e931931 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_util/target/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_coverage.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_util/target/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_coverage.py
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ def pytest_configure():
 
     def coverage_exit(*args, **kwargs):
         for instance in coverage_instances:
+            # skip coverage instances which have no collector, or the collector is not the active collector
+            # this avoids issues with coverage 7.4.0+ when tests create subprocesses which inherit our overridden os._exit method
+            # pylint: disable=protected-access
+            if not instance._collector or not instance._collector._collectors or instance._collector != instance._collector._collectors[-1]:
+                continue
+
             instance.stop()
             instance.save()