diff --git a/server/etcdserver/api/v3compactor/periodic_test.go b/server/etcdserver/api/v3compactor/periodic_test.go
index 5604dabc5ef9..e8658f420fa2 100644
--- a/server/etcdserver/api/v3compactor/periodic_test.go
+++ b/server/etcdserver/api/v3compactor/periodic_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package v3compactor
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ func TestPeriodicHourly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// very first compaction
-	a, err := compactable.Wait(1)
+	a, err := waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func TestPeriodicHourly(t *testing.T) {
 			fc.Advance(tb.getRetryInterval())
 		}
 
-		a, err = compactable.Wait(1)
+		a, err = waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ func TestPeriodicMinutes(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// very first compaction
-	a, err := compactable.Wait(1)
+	a, err := waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ func TestPeriodicMinutes(t *testing.T) {
 			fc.Advance(tb.getRetryInterval())
 		}
 
-		a, err := compactable.Wait(1)
+		a, err := waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ func TestPeriodicPause(t *testing.T) {
 	fc.Advance(tb.getRetryInterval())
 
 	// T=3h6m
-	a, err := compactable.Wait(1)
+	a, err := waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ func TestPeriodicSkipRevNotChange(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// very first compaction
-	a, err := compactable.Wait(1)
+	a, err := waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ func TestPeriodicSkipRevNotChange(t *testing.T) {
 		fc.Advance(tb.getRetryInterval())
 	}
 
-	a, err = compactable.Wait(1)
+	a, err = waitWithRetry(t, compactable)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -244,3 +245,23 @@ func waitOneAction(t *testing.T, r testutil.Recorder) {
 		t.Errorf("expect 1 action, got %v instead", len(actions))
 	}
 }
+
+func waitWithRetry(t *testing.T, compactable *fakeCompactable) ([]testutil.Action, error) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var lastErr error
+	var actions []testutil.Action
+
+	expectedActions, maxRetries := 1, 5
+	for retry := 0; retry < maxRetries; retry++ {
+		actions, lastErr = compactable.Wait(expectedActions)
+		if lastErr == nil || len(actions) >= expectedActions {
+			return actions, nil
+		}
+		// Exponential backoff
+		backoffTime := time.Duration(10*(1<<retry)) * time.Millisecond
+		t.Logf("Retry %d: waiting %v before next attempt (last error: %v)", retry+1, backoffTime, lastErr)
+		time.Sleep(backoffTime)
+	}
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("after %d retries, last error: %w", maxRetries, lastErr)
+}