diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
index 876ad6c0e688c..93c9f63fc5e63 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.MockPageCacheRecycler;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.AbstractRunnable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.RunOnce;
+import org.elasticsearch.core.AbstractRefCounted;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.IOUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.Nullable;
+import org.elasticsearch.core.RefCounted;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.UpdateForV9;
@@ -73,7 +75,6 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingDeque;
-import java.util.concurrent.Semaphore;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
@@ -431,8 +432,8 @@ public void addUnresponsiveRule(TransportAddress transportAddress) {
 
         transport().addSendBehavior(transportAddress, new StubbableTransport.SendRequestBehavior() {
 
-            private final Semaphore sendSemaphore = new Semaphore(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
             private final Set<Transport.Connection> toClose = ConcurrentHashMap.newKeySet();
+            private final RefCounted refs = AbstractRefCounted.of(this::closeConnections);
 
             @Override
             public void sendRequest(
@@ -444,10 +445,10 @@ public void sendRequest(
             ) throws IOException {
                 if (connection.isClosed()) {
                     throw new NodeNotConnectedException(connection.getNode(), "connection already closed");
-                } else if (sendSemaphore.tryAcquire()) {
+                } else if (refs.tryIncRef()) {
                     // don't send anything, the receiving node is unresponsive
                     toClose.add(connection);
-                    sendSemaphore.release();
+                    refs.decRef();
                 } else {
                     connection.sendRequest(requestId, action, request, options);
                 }
@@ -455,13 +456,18 @@ public void sendRequest(
 
             @Override
             public void clearCallback() {
+                // close to simulate that tcp-ip eventually times out and closes connection (necessary to ensure transport eventually
+                // responds).
+                refs.decRef();
+            }
+
+            private void closeConnections() {
                 // close to simulate that tcp-ip eventually times out and closes connection (necessary to ensure transport eventually
                 // responds).
                 try {
-                    sendSemaphore.acquire(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
                     IOUtils.close(toClose);
-                } catch (IOException | InterruptedException e) {
-                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                } catch (IOException e) {
+                    throw new AssertionError(e);
                 }
             }
         });