diff --git a/windows/svc/example/main.go b/windows/svc/example/main.go
index 2ea73301..62f94702 100644
--- a/windows/svc/example/main.go
+++ b/windows/svc/example/main.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -33,8 +34,11 @@ func usage(errmsg string) {
 	os.Exit(2)
 }
 
+var svcName = "exampleservice"
+
 func main() {
-	const svcName = "myservice"
+	flag.StringVar(&svcName, "name", svcName, "name of the service")
+	flag.Parse()
 
 	inService, err := svc.IsWindowsService()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -55,7 +59,7 @@ func main() {
 		runService(svcName, true)
 		return
 	case "install":
-		err = installService(svcName, "my service")
+		err = installService(svcName, "example service")
 	case "remove":
 		err = removeService(svcName)
 	case "start":
diff --git a/windows/svc/example/service.go b/windows/svc/example/service.go
index c989abff..08d54b51 100644
--- a/windows/svc/example/service.go
+++ b/windows/svc/example/service.go
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ import (
 
 var elog debug.Log
 
-type myservice struct{}
+type exampleService struct{}
 
-func (m *myservice) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (ssec bool, errno uint32) {
+func (m *exampleService) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (ssec bool, errno uint32) {
 	const cmdsAccepted = svc.AcceptStop | svc.AcceptShutdown | svc.AcceptPauseAndContinue
 	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StartPending}
 	fasttick := time.Tick(500 * time.Millisecond)
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func runService(name string, isDebug bool) {
 	if isDebug {
 		run = debug.Run
 	}
-	err = run(name, &myservice{})
+	err = run(name, &exampleService{})
 	if err != nil {
 		elog.Error(1, fmt.Sprintf("%s service failed: %v", name, err))
 		return
diff --git a/windows/svc/mgr/mgr_test.go b/windows/svc/mgr/mgr_test.go
index 6f849f3e..10d23107 100644
--- a/windows/svc/mgr/mgr_test.go
+++ b/windows/svc/mgr/mgr_test.go
@@ -227,25 +227,26 @@ func remove(t *testing.T, s *mgr.Service) {
 }
 
 func TestMyService(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Getenv("GO_BUILDER_NAME") == "" {
+		// Don't install services on arbitrary users' machines.
+		t.Skip("skipping test that modifies system services: GO_BUILDER_NAME not set")
+	}
 	if testing.Short() {
-		t.Skip("skipping test in short mode - it modifies system services")
+		t.Skip("skipping test in short mode that modifies system services")
 	}
 
-	const name = "mymgrservice"
+	const name = "mgrtestservice"
 
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
-		if errno, ok := err.(syscall.Errno); ok && errno == syscall.ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED {
-			t.Skip("Skipping test: we don't have rights to manage services.")
-		}
 		t.Fatalf("SCM connection failed: %s", err)
 	}
 	defer m.Disconnect()
 
 	c := mgr.Config{
 		StartType:    mgr.StartDisabled,
-		DisplayName:  "my service",
-		Description:  "my service is just a test",
+		DisplayName:  "x-sys mgr test service",
+		Description:  "x-sys mgr test service is just a test",
 		Dependencies: []string{"LanmanServer", "W32Time"},
 	}
 
@@ -288,14 +289,14 @@ func TestMyService(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("ListServices failed: %v", err)
 	}
-	var myserviceIsInstalled bool
+	var serviceIsInstalled bool
 	for _, sn := range svcnames {
 		if sn == name {
-			myserviceIsInstalled = true
+			serviceIsInstalled = true
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	if !myserviceIsInstalled {
+	if !serviceIsInstalled {
 		t.Errorf("ListServices failed to find %q service", name)
 	}
 
diff --git a/windows/svc/svc_test.go b/windows/svc/svc_test.go
index f7833adb..5d794e19 100644
--- a/windows/svc/svc_test.go
+++ b/windows/svc/svc_test.go
@@ -77,11 +77,15 @@ func stopAndDeleteIfInstalled(t *testing.T, m *mgr.Mgr, name string) {
 }
 
 func TestExample(t *testing.T) {
-	if testing.Short() && os.Getenv("GO_BUILDER_NAME") != "" {
-		t.Skip("skipping test in short mode - it modifies system services")
+	if os.Getenv("GO_BUILDER_NAME") == "" {
+		// Don't install services on arbitrary users' machines.
+		t.Skip("skipping test that modifies system services: GO_BUILDER_NAME not set")
+	}
+	if testing.Short() {
+		t.Skip("skipping test in short mode that modifies system services")
 	}
 
-	const name = "myservice"
+	const name = "svctestservice"
 
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ func TestExample(t *testing.T) {
 
 	stopAndDeleteIfInstalled(t, m, name)
 
-	s, err := m.CreateService(name, exepath, mgr.Config{DisplayName: "my service"}, "is", "auto-started")
+	s, err := m.CreateService(name, exepath, mgr.Config{DisplayName: "x-sys svc test service"}, "-name", name)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("CreateService(%s) failed: %v", name, err)
 	}
@@ -141,7 +145,7 @@ func TestExample(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Delete failed: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	out, err := exec.Command("wevtutil.exe", "qe", "Application", "/q:*[System[Provider[@Name='myservice']]]", "/rd:true", "/c:10").CombinedOutput()
+	out, err := exec.Command("wevtutil.exe", "qe", "Application", "/q:*[System[Provider[@Name='"+name+"']]]", "/rd:true", "/c:10").CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("wevtutil failed: %v\n%v", err, string(out))
 	}
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@ func TestExample(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test context passing (see servicemain in sys_386.s and sys_amd64.s).
 	want += "-123456"
 	if !strings.Contains(string(out), want) {
-		t.Errorf("%q string does not contain %q", string(out), want)
+		t.Errorf("%q string does not contain %q", out, want)
 	}
 }