diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeyNothingIsSafeTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeyNothingIsSafeTest.java
index efbde20086c..3a3dbbe5bc7 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeyNothingIsSafeTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeyNothingIsSafeTest.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public class ChaosMonkeyNothingIsSafeTest extends FullSolrCloudTest {
   @Override
   @After
   public void tearDown() throws Exception {
+    System.clearProperty("numShards");
     super.tearDown();
     resetExceptionIgnores();
   }
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeySafeLeaderTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeySafeLeaderTest.java
index 24635de636e..29402a1a7ab 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeySafeLeaderTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/ChaosMonkeySafeLeaderTest.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public class ChaosMonkeySafeLeaderTest extends FullSolrCloudTest {
   @Override
   @After
   public void tearDown() throws Exception {
+    System.clearProperty("numShards");
     super.tearDown();
     resetExceptionIgnores();
   }