diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/breaker/HierarchyCircuitBreakerServiceTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/breaker/HierarchyCircuitBreakerServiceTests.java
index 15f6d0ed377fa..8d2255df9e7e8 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/breaker/HierarchyCircuitBreakerServiceTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/breaker/HierarchyCircuitBreakerServiceTests.java
@@ -628,14 +628,17 @@ void overLimitTriggered(boolean leader) {
         })).toList();
 
         threads.forEach(Thread::start);
-        safeAwait(barrier);
 
         int iterationCount = randomIntBetween(1, 5);
+        int lastIterationTriggerCount = leaderTriggerCount.get();
+
+        safeAwait(barrier);
         for (int i = 0; i < iterationCount; ++i) {
             memoryUsage.set(randomLongBetween(0, 100));
             safeAwait(countDown.get());
             assertThat(leaderTriggerCount.get(), lessThanOrEqualTo(i + 1));
-            assertThat(leaderTriggerCount.get(), greaterThanOrEqualTo(i / 2 + 1));
+            assertThat(leaderTriggerCount.get(), greaterThanOrEqualTo(lastIterationTriggerCount));
+            lastIterationTriggerCount = leaderTriggerCount.get();
             time.addAndGet(randomLongBetween(interval, interval * 2));
             countDown.set(new CountDownLatch(randomIntBetween(1, 20)));
         }