diff --git a/test/sequential/sequential.status b/test/sequential/sequential.status
index 6cea1208593d26..9e6dfc9975bf56 100644
--- a/test/sequential/sequential.status
+++ b/test/sequential/sequential.status
@@ -17,9 +17,4 @@ test-benchmark-child-process  : PASS,FLAKY
 
 [$system==freebsd]
 
-# fs-watch currently needs special configuration on AIX and we
-# want to improve under https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/5085.
-# Tests are disabled so CI can be green and we can spot other
-# regressions until this work is complete
 [$system==aix]
-test-fs-watch               : FAIL,PASS
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-fs-watch.js b/test/sequential/test-fs-watch.js
index 34e53f59aa0961..b9798de9e165d7 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-fs-watch.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-fs-watch.js
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 
 const expectFilePath = common.isWindows ||
                        common.isLinux ||
-                       common.isOSX;
+                       common.isOSX ||
+                       common.isAix;
 
 let watchSeenOne = 0;
 let watchSeenTwo = 0;
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ const filepathThree = path.join(testsubdir, filenameThree);
 assert.doesNotThrow(
     function() {
       const watcher = fs.watch(testsubdir, function(event, filename) {
-        const renameEv = common.isSunOS ? 'change' : 'rename';
+        const renameEv = common.isSunOS || common.isAix ? 'change' : 'rename';
         assert.strictEqual(renameEv, event);
         if (expectFilePath) {
           assert.strictEqual('newfile.txt', filename);