diff --git a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLWithMultipleVersions.java b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLWithMultipleVersions.java
index d65c6b4567b..11bcd763ca8 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLWithMultipleVersions.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLWithMultipleVersions.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.security.User;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.EnvironmentEdgeManager;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.TestTableName;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Threads;
 import org.apache.log4j.Level;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.junit.After;
@@ -141,6 +142,8 @@ public class TestCellACLWithMultipleVersions extends SecureTestUtil {
       }
     }
     TEST_UTIL.waitTableEnabled(TEST_TABLE.getTableName());
+    LOG.info("Sleeping a second because of HBASE-12581");
+    Threads.sleep(1000);
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
index dadbd780aa4..f5c88b338de 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/TestCellACLs.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.security.User;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.security.access.Permission.Action;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.TestTableName;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Threads;
 import org.apache.log4j.Level;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.junit.After;
@@ -133,6 +134,8 @@ public class TestCellACLs extends SecureTestUtil {
     htd.addFamily(hcd);
     admin.createTable(htd, new byte[][] { Bytes.toBytes("s") });
     TEST_UTIL.waitTableEnabled(TEST_TABLE.getTableName());
+    LOG.info("Sleeping a second because of HBASE-12581");
+    Threads.sleep(1000);
   }
 
   @Test