diff --git a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport.java b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport.java
index 0875273de2..bd6478a960 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
 import javax.jms.Connection;
 import javax.jms.ConnectionFactory;
@@ -38,6 +40,9 @@ import javax.jms.Session;
 import javax.jms.TextMessage;
 import javax.jms.Topic;
 
+import org.apache.activemq.advisory.ConsumerEvent;
+import org.apache.activemq.advisory.ConsumerEventSource;
+import org.apache.activemq.advisory.ConsumerListener;
 import org.apache.activemq.broker.BrokerFactory;
 import org.apache.activemq.broker.BrokerService;
 import org.apache.activemq.broker.TransportConnector;
@@ -218,6 +223,38 @@ public class JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport extends CombinationTestSupport {
         }
         return null;
     }
+    
+    protected void assertConsumersConnect(String brokerName, Destination destination, final int count, long timeout) throws Exception {
+        BrokerItem brokerItem = brokers.get(brokerName);
+        Connection conn = brokerItem.createConnection();
+        conn.start();
+        ConsumerEventSource ces = new ConsumerEventSource(conn, destination);
+
+        try {
+        	final AtomicInteger actualConnected = new AtomicInteger();
+	        final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);        
+	        ces.setConsumerListener(new ConsumerListener(){
+				public void onConsumerEvent(ConsumerEvent event) {
+					if( actualConnected.get() < count ) {
+						actualConnected.set(event.getConsumerCount());
+					}
+					if( event.getConsumerCount() >= count ) {
+						latch.countDown();
+					}				
+				}
+			});
+	        ces.start();
+	        
+	        latch.await(timeout, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+	        assertTrue("Expected at least "+count+" consumers to connect, but only "+actualConnected.get()+" connectect within "+timeout+" ms", actualConnected.get() >= count);
+	        
+        } finally {
+            ces.stop();
+            conn.close();
+            brokerItem.connections.remove(conn);
+        }
+    }
+
 
     protected void sendMessages(String brokerName, Destination destination, int count) throws Exception {
         BrokerItem brokerItem = brokers.get(brokerName);
diff --git a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/usecases/MultiBrokersMultiClientsTest.java b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/usecases/MultiBrokersMultiClientsTest.java
index 139fb1e1d7..bc59576679 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/usecases/MultiBrokersMultiClientsTest.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/usecases/MultiBrokersMultiClientsTest.java
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ public class MultiBrokersMultiClientsTest extends JmsMultipleBrokersTestSupport
         }
 
         // wait for consumers to get propagated
-        Thread.sleep(5000);
+        for (int i = 1; i <= BROKER_COUNT; i++) {
+        	// all consumers on the remote brokers look like 1 consumer to the local broker.
+        	assertConsumersConnect("Broker" + i, dest, (BROKER_COUNT-1)+CONSUMER_COUNT, 30000);
+        }
 
         // Send messages
         for (int i = 1; i <= BROKER_COUNT; i++) {