diff --git a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotShutdownIT.java b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotShutdownIT.java
index 53263468bf0de..75cd9240c319f 100644
--- a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotShutdownIT.java
+++ b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotShutdownIT.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ public void testRestartNodeDuringSnapshot() throws Exception {
 
         final var clusterService = internalCluster().getCurrentMasterNodeInstance(ClusterService.class);
         final var snapshotFuture = startFullSnapshotBlockedOnDataNode(randomIdentifier(), repoName, originalNode);
+        safeAwait((ActionListener<Void> l) -> flushMasterQueue(clusterService, l));
         final var snapshotCompletesWithoutPausingListener = ClusterServiceUtils.addTemporaryStateListener(clusterService, state -> {
             final var entriesForRepo = SnapshotsInProgress.get(state).forRepo(repoName);
             if (entriesForRepo.isEmpty()) {