diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/nodes/TransportNodesActionTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/nodes/TransportNodesActionTests.java
index 931f733b0a09d..560db3208b4d9 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/nodes/TransportNodesActionTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/nodes/TransportNodesActionTests.java
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.CyclicBarrier;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -378,28 +377,24 @@ protected void newResponseAsync(
     public void testConcurrentlyCompletionAndCancellation() throws InterruptedException {
         final var action = getTestTransportNodesAction();
 
-        final CountDownLatch onCancelledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
-        final CancellableTask cancellableTask = new CancellableTask(randomLong(), "transport", "action", "", null, emptyMap()) {
-            @Override
-            protected void onCancelled() {
-                onCancelledLatch.countDown();
-            }
-        };
+        final CancellableTask cancellableTask = new CancellableTask(randomLong(), "transport", "action", "", null, emptyMap());
 
         final PlainActionFuture<TestNodesResponse> future = new PlainActionFuture<>();
         action.execute(cancellableTask, new TestNodesRequest(), future);
 
         final List<TestNodeResponse> nodeResponses = new ArrayList<>();
         final CapturingTransport.CapturedRequest[] capturedRequests = transport.getCapturedRequestsAndClear();
+        // Complete all but the last request for racing completion with cancellation
         for (int i = 0; i < capturedRequests.length - 1; i++) {
             final var capturedRequest = capturedRequests[i];
             nodeResponses.add(completeOneRequest(capturedRequest));
         }
 
         final var raceBarrier = new CyclicBarrier(3);
+        final var lastResponseFuture = new PlainActionFuture<TestNodeResponse>();
         final Thread completeThread = new Thread(() -> {
             safeAwait(raceBarrier);
-            nodeResponses.add(completeOneRequest(capturedRequests[capturedRequests.length - 1]));
+            lastResponseFuture.onResponse(completeOneRequest(capturedRequests[capturedRequests.length - 1]));
         });
         final Thread cancelThread = new Thread(() -> {
             safeAwait(raceBarrier);
@@ -419,8 +414,11 @@ protected void onCancelled() {
             assertNotNull("expect task cancellation exception, but got\n" + ExceptionsHelper.stackTrace(e), taskCancelledException);
             assertThat(e.getMessage(), containsString("task cancelled [simulated]"));
             assertTrue(cancellableTask.isCancelled());
-            safeAwait(onCancelledLatch); // wait for the latch, the listener for releasing node responses is called before it
+            // All previously captured responses are released due to cancellation
             assertTrue(nodeResponses.stream().allMatch(r -> r.hasReferences() == false));
+            // Wait for the last response to be gathered and assert it is also released by either the concurrent cancellation or
+            // not tracked in onItemResponse at all due to already cancelled
+            assertFalse(safeGet(lastResponseFuture).hasReferences());
         }
 
         completeThread.join(10_000);