diff --git a/hudi-client/hudi-spark-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hudi/client/TestHoodieClientMultiWriter.java b/hudi-client/hudi-spark-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hudi/client/TestHoodieClientMultiWriter.java
index d0896645427ec..859d568d707e2 100644
--- a/hudi-client/hudi-spark-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hudi/client/TestHoodieClientMultiWriter.java
+++ b/hudi-client/hudi-spark-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hudi/client/TestHoodieClientMultiWriter.java
@@ -517,8 +517,8 @@ public void testMultiWriterWithAsyncTableServicesWithConflict(HoodieTableType ta
     final SparkRDDWriteClient client3 = getHoodieWriteClient(cfg);
 
     // Create upserts, schedule cleaning, schedule compaction in parallel
+    String fourthCommitTime = client.createNewInstantTime();
     Future future1 = executors.submit(() -> {
-      final String newCommitTime = client1.createNewInstantTime();
       final int numRecords = 100;
       final String commitTimeBetweenPrevAndNew = secondCommitTime;
 
@@ -531,34 +531,35 @@ public void testMultiWriterWithAsyncTableServicesWithConflict(HoodieTableType ta
 
         // Since the concurrent modifications went in, this upsert has
         // to fail
+        // Note: the start time of upsert must be smaller than the compaction scheduling time
         assertThrows(HoodieWriteConflictException.class, () -> {
-          createCommitWithUpserts(cfg, client1, thirdCommitTime, commitTimeBetweenPrevAndNew, newCommitTime, numRecords);
+          createCommitWithUpserts(cfg, client1, thirdCommitTime, commitTimeBetweenPrevAndNew, fourthCommitTime, numRecords);
         });
       } else {
         // We don't have the compaction for COW and so this upsert
         // has to pass
         assertDoesNotThrow(() -> {
-          createCommitWithUpserts(cfg, client1, thirdCommitTime, commitTimeBetweenPrevAndNew, newCommitTime, numRecords);
+          createCommitWithUpserts(cfg, client1, thirdCommitTime, commitTimeBetweenPrevAndNew, fourthCommitTime, numRecords);
         });
-        validInstants.add(newCommitTime);
+        validInstants.add(fourthCommitTime);
       }
     });
 
+    String fifthCommitTime = client2.createNewInstantTime();
     Future future2 = executors.submit(() -> {
       if (tableType == HoodieTableType.MERGE_ON_READ) {
         assertDoesNotThrow(() -> {
-          String compactionTimeStamp = client2.createNewInstantTime();
-          client2.scheduleTableService(compactionTimeStamp, Option.empty(), TableServiceType.COMPACT);
+          client2.scheduleTableService(fifthCommitTime, Option.empty(), TableServiceType.COMPACT);
         });
       }
       latchCountDownAndWait(scheduleCountDownLatch, 30000);
     });
 
+    String sixthCommitTime = client3.createNewInstantTime();
     Future future3 = executors.submit(() -> {
       assertDoesNotThrow(() -> {
         latchCountDownAndWait(scheduleCountDownLatch, 30000);
-        String cleanCommitTime = client3.createNewInstantTime();
-        client3.scheduleTableService(cleanCommitTime, Option.empty(), TableServiceType.CLEAN);
+        client3.scheduleTableService(sixthCommitTime, Option.empty(), TableServiceType.CLEAN);
       });
     });
     future1.get();