diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/services/observability/alerts/common.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/services/observability/alerts/common.ts
index 797a1d143198c..81a19364316a5 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/services/observability/alerts/common.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/services/observability/alerts/common.ts
@@ -306,14 +306,16 @@ export function ObservabilityAlertsCommonProvider({
     await testSubjects.click(buttonSubject);
   };
 
-  const alertDataIsBeingLoaded = async () => {
-    return testSubjects.existOrFail('events-container-loading-true');
+  const selectAlertStatusFilter = async (alertStatus: AlertStatus) => {
+    await testSubjects.click('optionsList-control-0');
+    await testSubjects.click(`optionsList-control-selection-${alertStatus}`);
+    await testSubjects.click('optionsList-control-0');
   };
 
   const alertDataHasLoaded = async () => {
     await retry.waitFor(
       'Alert Table is loaded',
-      async () => await testSubjects.exists('events-container-loading-false', { timeout: 2500 })
+      async () => await testSubjects.exists('alertsTableIsLoaded', { timeout: 2500 })
     );
   };
 
@@ -439,7 +441,6 @@ export function ObservabilityAlertsCommonProvider({
     setWorkflowStatusFilter,
     getWorkflowStatusFilterValue,
     setAlertStatusFilter,
-    alertDataIsBeingLoaded,
     alertDataHasLoaded,
     submitQuery,
     typeInQueryBar,
@@ -457,5 +458,6 @@ export function ObservabilityAlertsCommonProvider({
     navigateToAlertDetails,
     createDataView,
     deleteDataView,
+    selectAlertStatusFilter,
   };
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/test/observability_functional/apps/observability/pages/alerts/pagination.ts b/x-pack/test/observability_functional/apps/observability/pages/alerts/pagination.ts
index dd251a63c0ad7..4f5bcade7d51f 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/observability_functional/apps/observability/pages/alerts/pagination.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/observability_functional/apps/observability/pages/alerts/pagination.ts
@@ -88,11 +88,13 @@ export default ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) => {
         });
       });
 
-      // FLAKY: https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/120440
-      describe.skip('Pagination controls', () => {
+      describe('Pagination controls', () => {
         before(async () => {
-          await (await observability.alerts.pagination.getPageSizeSelector()).click();
-          await (await observability.alerts.pagination.getTenRowsPageSelector()).click();
+          await observability.alerts.common.selectAlertStatusFilter('recovered');
+          await retry.try(async () => {
+            await (await observability.alerts.pagination.getPageSizeSelector()).click();
+            await (await observability.alerts.pagination.getTenRowsPageSelector()).click();
+          });
           await observability.alerts.pagination.goToFirstPage();
         });
 
@@ -113,7 +115,6 @@ export default ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) => {
 
         it('Goes to nth page', async () => {
           await observability.alerts.pagination.goToNthPage(3);
-          await observability.alerts.common.alertDataIsBeingLoaded();
           await observability.alerts.common.alertDataHasLoaded();
           const tableRows = await observability.alerts.common.getTableCellsInRows();
           expect(tableRows.length).to.be(10);
@@ -121,7 +122,6 @@ export default ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) => {
 
         it('Goes to next page', async () => {
           await observability.alerts.pagination.goToNextPage();
-          await observability.alerts.common.alertDataIsBeingLoaded();
           await observability.alerts.common.alertDataHasLoaded();
           const tableRows = await observability.alerts.common.getTableCellsInRows();
           expect(tableRows.length).to.be(10);
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ export default ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) => {
 
         it('Goes to previous page', async () => {
           await observability.alerts.pagination.goToPrevPage();
-          await observability.alerts.common.alertDataIsBeingLoaded();
           await observability.alerts.common.alertDataHasLoaded();
           const tableRows = await observability.alerts.common.getTableCellsInRows();
           expect(tableRows.length).to.be(10);