diff --git a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.l b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.l
index ca666ea0195..dc4951dd699 100644
--- a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.l
+++ b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.l
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#...
 0
 0
 1
@@ -8,5 +9,3 @@
 1
 4
 2
-\+
-\+
diff --git a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.s b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.s
index 4a5b078ba60..c752ca8367d 100644
--- a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.s
+++ b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/count.s
@@ -17,10 +17,3 @@
 
 	mac1 2
 	mac2 3
-
-	.irp i,1
-	.print "\+"
-	.endr
-	.irpc i,1
-	.print "\+"
-	.endr
diff --git a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/macros.exp b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/macros.exp
index 3108f3fcd56..ed08e75d543 100644
--- a/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/macros.exp
+++ b/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/macros.exp
@@ -103,3 +103,9 @@ gas_test_error "exit.s" "" ".exitm outside of a macro"
 
 run_list_test altmacro
 run_list_test count
+
+# The AVR, CRIS, MSP430 and Z80 targets define ONLY_STANDARD_ESCAPES,
+#  so \+ is rejected.
+# AIX targets need an extended regexp to match "\+".
+setup_xfail "avr-*-*" "cris*-*-*" "msp430-*-*" "z80-*-*" "*-*-aix*"
+run_list_test irp-count
--- /dev/null	2024-05-16 07:41:38.219079632 +0100
+++ current/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/irp-count.d	2024-05-16 10:42:39.334037535 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#name: Macro counters inside IRP commands (irp-count.d)
+# Tests that \+ does not trip up IRP commands
--- /dev/null	2024-05-16 07:41:38.219079632 +0100
+++ current/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/irp-count.s	2024-05-16 10:42:57.140062184 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+	.irp i,1
+	.print "\+"
+	.endr
+	
+	.irpc i,1
+	.print "\+"
+	.endr
--- /dev/null	2024-05-16 07:41:38.219079632 +0100
+++ current/gas/testsuite/gas/macros/irp-count.l	2024-05-16 10:43:26.784102912 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#...
+\+
+\+