diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/IKeyState.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/IKeyState.cpp
index 287d696bf..e5d3aa270 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/IKeyState.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/IKeyState.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ IKeyState::KeyInfo *IKeyState::KeyInfo::alloc(
   const char *buffer = screens.c_str();
 
   // build structure
+#if SYSAPI_WIN32
+  // On windows we use malloc to avoid random test failures
+  auto *info = (KeyInfo *)malloc(sizeof(KeyInfo) + screens.size());
+#else
   auto *info = new KeyInfo();
+#endif
+
   info->m_key = id;
   info->m_mask = mask;
   info->m_button = button;
@@ -57,7 +63,14 @@ IKeyState::KeyInfo *IKeyState::KeyInfo::alloc(
 IKeyState::KeyInfo *IKeyState::KeyInfo::alloc(const KeyInfo &x)
 {
   auto bufferLen = strnlen(x.m_screensBuffer, SIZE_MAX);
+
+#if SYSAPI_WIN32
+  // On windows we use malloc to avoid random test failures
+  auto info = (KeyInfo *)malloc(sizeof(KeyInfo) + bufferLen);
+#else
   auto *info = new KeyInfo();
+#endif
+
   info->m_key = x.m_key;
   info->m_mask = x.m_mask;
   info->m_button = x.m_button;