diff --git a/hadoop-hdds/container-service/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/ozone/container/keyvalue/impl/AbstractTestChunkManager.java b/hadoop-hdds/container-service/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/ozone/container/keyvalue/impl/AbstractTestChunkManager.java
index 9126da70ea01..46d0c6157375 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdds/container-service/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/ozone/container/keyvalue/impl/AbstractTestChunkManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdds/container-service/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/ozone/container/keyvalue/impl/AbstractTestChunkManager.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assumptions.abort;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyList;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyLong;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
@@ -147,12 +148,17 @@ public static boolean isFileNotInUse(String filePath) {
         }
         LOG.debug("File is in use: {}", filePath);
         return false;
+      } catch (IOException e) {
+        LOG.warn("Failed to check if file is in use: {}", filePath, e);
+        return false;  // On failure, assume the file is in use
       } finally {
         process.destroy();
       }
     } catch (IOException e) {
+      // if process cannot be started, skip the test
       LOG.warn("Failed to check if file is in use: {}", filePath, e);
-      return false;  // On failure, assume the file is in use
+      abort(e.getMessage());
+      return false; // unreachable, abort() throws exception
     }
   }