diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Groups.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Groups.java
index df32bb3ebf6..a8fa7241b77 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Groups.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Groups.java
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ import com.google.common.cache.CacheBuilder;
 import com.google.common.cache.Cache;
 import com.google.common.cache.CacheLoader;
 import com.google.common.cache.LoadingCache;
+import com.google.common.util.concurrent.FutureCallback;
+import com.google.common.util.concurrent.Futures;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListenableFuture;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListeningExecutorService;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.MoreExecutors;
@@ -355,23 +357,24 @@ public class Groups {
           executorService.submit(new Callable<List<String>>() {
             @Override
             public List<String> call() throws Exception {
-              boolean success = false;
-              try {
-                backgroundRefreshQueued.decrementAndGet();
-                backgroundRefreshRunning.incrementAndGet();
-                List<String> results = load(key);
-                success = true;
-                return results;
-              } finally {
-                backgroundRefreshRunning.decrementAndGet();
-                if (success) {
-                  backgroundRefreshSuccess.incrementAndGet();
-                } else {
-                  backgroundRefreshException.incrementAndGet();
-                }
-              }
+              backgroundRefreshQueued.decrementAndGet();
+              backgroundRefreshRunning.incrementAndGet();
+              List<String> results = load(key);
+              return results;
             }
           });
+      Futures.addCallback(listenableFuture, new FutureCallback<List<String>>() {
+        @Override
+        public void onSuccess(List<String> result) {
+          backgroundRefreshSuccess.incrementAndGet();
+          backgroundRefreshRunning.decrementAndGet();
+        }
+        @Override
+        public void onFailure(Throwable t) {
+          backgroundRefreshException.incrementAndGet();
+          backgroundRefreshRunning.decrementAndGet();
+        }
+      });
       return listenableFuture;
     }
 
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/TestGroupsCaching.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/TestGroupsCaching.java
index 5a5596eaeb7..2b47d41a625 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/TestGroupsCaching.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/TestGroupsCaching.java
@@ -25,11 +25,16 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.test.GenericTestUtils;
 import org.apache.hadoop.util.FakeTimer;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
+
+import com.google.common.base.Supplier;
+
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
@@ -67,6 +72,7 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
     private static int requestCount = 0;
     private static long getGroupsDelayMs = 0;
     private static boolean throwException;
+    private static volatile CountDownLatch latch = null;
 
     @Override
     public List<String> getGroups(String user) throws IOException {
@@ -85,7 +91,19 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
       return new LinkedList<String>(allGroups);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Delay returning on a latch or a specific amount of time.
+     */
     private void delayIfNecessary() {
+      // cause current method to pause
+      // resume until get notified
+      if (latch != null) {
+        try {
+          latch.await();
+          return;
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {}
+      }
+
       if (getGroupsDelayMs > 0) {
         try {
           Thread.sleep(getGroupsDelayMs);
@@ -114,6 +132,7 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
       requestCount = 0;
       getGroupsDelayMs = 0;
       throwException = false;
+      latch = null;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -142,6 +161,31 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
     public static void setThrowException(boolean throwIfTrue) {
       throwException = throwIfTrue;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Hold on returning the group names unless being notified,
+     * ensure this method is called before {@link #getGroups(String)}.
+     * Call {@link #resume()} will resume the process.
+     */
+    public static void pause() {
+      // Set a static latch, multiple background refresh threads
+      // share this instance. So when await is called, all the
+      // threads will pause until the it decreases the count of
+      // the latch.
+      latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Resume the background refresh thread and return the value
+     * of group names.
+     */
+    public static void resume() {
+      // if latch is null, it means pause was not called and it is
+      // safe to ignore.
+      if (latch != null) {
+        latch.countDown();
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   public static class ExceptionalGroupMapping extends ShellBasedUnixGroupsMapping {
@@ -610,22 +654,18 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
 
     // expire the cache
     timer.advance(2*1000);
-    FakeGroupMapping.setGetGroupsDelayMs(40);
+    FakeGroupMapping.pause();
 
     // Request all groups again, as there are 2 threads to process them
     // 3 should get queued and 2 should be running
     for (String g: grps) {
       groups.getGroups(g);
     }
-    Thread.sleep(20);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshQueued(), 3);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshRunning(), 2);
+    waitForGroupCounters(groups, 3, 2, 0, 0);
+    FakeGroupMapping.resume();
 
-    // After 120ms all should have completed running
-    Thread.sleep(120);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshQueued(), 0);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshRunning(), 0);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshSuccess(), 5);
+    // Once resumed, all results should be returned immediately
+    waitForGroupCounters(groups, 0, 0, 5, 0);
 
     // Now run again, this time throwing exceptions but no delay
     timer.advance(2*1000);
@@ -634,11 +674,34 @@ public class TestGroupsCaching {
     for (String g: grps) {
       groups.getGroups(g);
     }
-    Thread.sleep(20);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshQueued(), 0);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshRunning(), 0);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshSuccess(), 5);
-    assertEquals(groups.getBackgroundRefreshException(), 5);
+    waitForGroupCounters(groups, 0, 0, 5, 5);
+  }
+
+  private void waitForGroupCounters(final Groups groups, long expectedQueued,
+      long expectedRunning, long expectedSuccess, long expectedExpection)
+          throws InterruptedException {
+    final long[] expected = {expectedQueued, expectedRunning,
+        expectedSuccess, expectedExpection};
+    final long[] actual = new long[expected.length];
+    // wait for a certain time until the counters reach
+    // to expected values. Check values in 20 ms interval.
+    try {
+      GenericTestUtils.waitFor(new Supplier<Boolean>() {
+        @Override
+        public Boolean get() {
+          actual[0] = groups.getBackgroundRefreshQueued();
+          actual[1] = groups.getBackgroundRefreshRunning();
+          actual[2] = groups.getBackgroundRefreshSuccess();
+          actual[3] = groups.getBackgroundRefreshException();
+          return Arrays.equals(actual, expected);
+        }
+      }, 20, 1000);
+    } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+      fail("Excepted group counter values are not reached in given time,"
+          + " expecting (Queued, Running, Success, Exception) : "
+          + Arrays.toString(expected) + " but actual : "
+          + Arrays.toString(actual));
+    }
   }
 
   @Test