diff --git a/tests/test_habana_profiler_unit.py b/tests/test_habana_profiler_unit.py
index 646e604866..d334878b5a 100644
--- a/tests/test_habana_profiler_unit.py
+++ b/tests/test_habana_profiler_unit.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import os
 import shutil
+import weakref
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 import pytest
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ def patched_profiler(monkeypatch):
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def cleanup():
     shutil.rmtree(PROFILER_OUTPUT_DIR, ignore_errors=True)
-    HabanaProfile._profilers = []
+    HabanaProfile._profilers = weakref.WeakSet()
 
 
 def run_profiling(profiler):
@@ -118,8 +119,9 @@ def test_two_profilers_can_run_sequentially():
     assert len(os.listdir(PROFILER_OUTPUT_DIR)) == 2
 
 
-def test_cannot_start_profiler_when_another_is_running(patched_profiler):
+def test_starting_new_profiler_stops_previous(patched_profiler):
     another_profiler = HabanaProfile(warmup=1, active=1)
     patched_profiler.start()
-    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
-        another_profiler.start()
+    another_profiler.start()
+    assert not patched_profiler._running
+    assert another_profiler._running