diff --git a/br/pkg/streamhelper/advancer_test.go b/br/pkg/streamhelper/advancer_test.go
index ffcf578c8ce33..3391714e7513b 100644
--- a/br/pkg/streamhelper/advancer_test.go
+++ b/br/pkg/streamhelper/advancer_test.go
@@ -309,12 +309,19 @@ func TestBlocked(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	req := require.New(t)
 	c.splitAndScatter("0012", "0034", "0048")
+	blockReq := make(chan struct{})
+	defer close(blockReq)
+	firstBlocked := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	firstBlockedOnce := sync.Once{}
 	marked := false
 	for _, s := range c.storeList() {
 		s.SetGetRegionCheckpointHook(func(glftrr *logbackup.GetLastFlushTSOfRegionRequest) error {
+			firstBlockedOnce.Do(func() {
+				firstBlocked <- struct{}{}
+			})
 			// blocking the thread.
 			// this may happen when TiKV goes down or too busy.
-			<-(chan struct{})(nil)
+			<-blockReq
 			return nil
 		})
 		marked = true
@@ -324,14 +331,21 @@ func TestBlocked(t *testing.T) {
 	adv := streamhelper.NewCheckpointAdvancer(env)
 	adv.StartTaskListener(ctx)
 	adv.UpdateConfigWith(func(c *config.CommandConfig) {
-		// ... So the tick timeout would be 100ms
-		c.TickDuration = 10 * time.Millisecond
+		// keep enough headroom so the blocked rpc request is observed before timeout.
+		c.TickDuration = 100 * time.Millisecond
+	})
+	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		errCh <- adv.OnTick(ctx)
+	}()
+	shouldFinishInTime(t, 5*time.Second, "wait until blocked request observed", func() {
+		<-firstBlocked
 	})
 	var err error
-	shouldFinishInTime(t, time.Second, "ticking", func() {
-		err = adv.OnTick(ctx)
+	shouldFinishInTime(t, 5*time.Second, "ticking", func() {
+		err = <-errCh
 	})
-	req.ErrorIs(errors.Cause(err), context.DeadlineExceeded)
+	req.ErrorIs(err, context.DeadlineExceeded)
 }
 
 func TestResolveLock(t *testing.T) {