diff --git a/py/server/tests/test_table.py b/py/server/tests/test_table.py
index b37b89c8c14..eba1e3ad8ca 100644
--- a/py/server/tests/test_table.py
+++ b/py/server/tests/test_table.py
@@ -567,7 +567,10 @@ def test_snapshot_when_with_history(self):
             snapshot_hist = self.test_table.snapshot_when(t, history=True)
             self.assertFalse(snapshot_hist.j_table.isFailed())
         self.wait_ticking_table_update(t, row_count=10, timeout=2)
-        self.assertTrue(snapshot_hist.j_table.isFailed())
+        # we have not waited for a whole cycle yet, wait for the shared lock to guarantee cycle is over
+        # to ensure snapshot_hist has had the opportunity to process the update we just saw
+        with update_graph.shared_lock(t):
+            self.assertTrue(snapshot_hist.j_table.isFailed())
 
     def test_agg_all_by(self):
         test_table = empty_table(10)