diff --git a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/DiscoveryPoolTest.java b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/DiscoveryPoolTest.java
index b637ebe808..d1b331d6e3 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/DiscoveryPoolTest.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/DiscoveryPoolTest.java
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ public class DiscoveryPoolTest extends PoolTestBase {
             Stream.concat(initialNodeIDs.stream(), addedNodeIDs.stream()).forEach(nodeID -> {
                if (removingNodeIDs.contains(nodeID)) {
                   Assert.assertNull(pool.getTarget(nodeID));
-                  Assert.assertEquals(0, targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(pool.getTarget(nodeID)));
                } else {
                   Assert.assertTrue(pool.isTargetReady(pool.getTarget(nodeID)));
                   Assert.assertTrue(targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(pool.getTarget(nodeID)) > 0);
diff --git a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/PoolTestBase.java b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/PoolTestBase.java
index c3edd97f33..92af5c0599 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/PoolTestBase.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/pools/PoolTestBase.java
@@ -65,24 +65,28 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
 
       pool.start();
 
-      Wait.assertEquals(targets, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+      try {
+         Wait.assertEquals(targets, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
 
-      targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().stream().limit(targets - quorumSize + 1)
-         .forEach(mockTarget -> mockTarget.setReady(false));
+         targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().stream().limit(targets - quorumSize + 1)
+            .forEach(mockTarget -> mockTarget.setReady(false));
 
-      Wait.assertEquals(0, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+         Wait.assertEquals(0, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
 
-      targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().get(0).setReady(true);
+         targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().get(0).setReady(true);
 
-      Wait.assertEquals(quorumSize, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+         Wait.assertEquals(quorumSize, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
 
-      pool.setQuorumSize(quorumSize + 1);
+         pool.setQuorumSize(quorumSize + 1);
 
-      Wait.assertEquals(0, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+         Wait.assertEquals(0, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
 
-      targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().get(1).setReady(true);
+         targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().get(1).setReady(true);
 
-      Wait.assertEquals(quorumSize + 1, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+         Wait.assertEquals(quorumSize + 1, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+      } finally {
+         pool.stop();
+      }
    }
 
 
@@ -96,10 +100,6 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
       Assert.assertEquals(0, pool.getTargets().size());
       Assert.assertEquals(0, pool.getAllTargets().size());
       Assert.assertEquals(0, targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().size());
-      targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().forEach(mockTarget -> {
-         Assert.assertFalse(pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget));
-         Assert.assertEquals(0, targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget));
-      });
 
       pool.start();
 
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
                Wait.assertTrue(() -> targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0, CHECK_TIMEOUT);
             });
 
+            targetProbe.clearTargetExecutions();
+
             targetProbe.setChecked(true);
 
             Wait.assertEquals(targets, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
@@ -154,10 +156,6 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
             Wait.assertEquals(0, () -> pool.getTargets().size(), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, pool.getAllTargets().size());
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().size());
-            targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().forEach(mockTarget -> {
-               Assert.assertFalse(pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget));
-               Assert.assertTrue(targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0);
-            });
 
             targetProbe.clearTargetExecutions();
 
@@ -167,8 +165,8 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, pool.getAllTargets().size());
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().size());
             targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().forEach(mockTarget -> {
-               Assert.assertTrue(pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget));
-               Assert.assertTrue(targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0);
+               Wait.assertTrue(() -> pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+               Wait.assertTrue(() -> targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0, CHECK_TIMEOUT);
             });
 
             targetProbe.clearTargetExecutions();
@@ -179,8 +177,8 @@ public abstract class PoolTestBase {
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, pool.getAllTargets().size());
             Assert.assertEquals(targets, targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().size());
             targetFactory.getCreatedTargets().forEach(mockTarget -> {
-               Assert.assertFalse(pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget));
-               Assert.assertTrue(targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0);
+               Wait.assertTrue(() -> !pool.isTargetReady(mockTarget), CHECK_TIMEOUT);
+               Wait.assertTrue(() -> targetProbe.getTargetExecutions(mockTarget) > 0, CHECK_TIMEOUT);
             });
          }
       } finally {
diff --git a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTarget.java b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTarget.java
index 3c31d6f0a4..972c87884c 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTarget.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTarget.java
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ public class MockTarget extends AbstractTarget {
 
    @Override
    public boolean checkReadiness() {
-      return ready;
+      return connected && ready;
    }
 
    @Override
diff --git a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTargetProbe.java b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTargetProbe.java
index d8c3aa2e48..e4292598f9 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTargetProbe.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/balancing/targets/MockTargetProbe.java
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
 
 package org.apache.activemq.artemis.core.server.balancing.targets;
 
-import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
 public class MockTargetProbe extends TargetProbe {
-   private final Map<Target, Integer> targetExecutions = new HashMap<>();
+   private final Map<Target, Integer> targetExecutions = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
 
-   private boolean checked;
+   private volatile boolean checked;
 
    public boolean isChecked() {
       return checked;