diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/EngineTestCase.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/EngineTestCase.java
index 2b5f29d192a..d1e3e99f6e1 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/EngineTestCase.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/EngineTestCase.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.BigArrays;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.set.Sets;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.ReleasableLock;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.NamedXContentRegistry;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentFactory;
@@ -1075,42 +1076,47 @@ public abstract class EngineTestCase extends ESTestCase {
             || (engine instanceof InternalEngine) == false) {
             return;
         }
-        final long maxSeqNo = ((InternalEngine) engine).getLocalCheckpointTracker().getMaxSeqNo();
-        final List<Translog.Operation> translogOps = new ArrayList<>();
-        try (Translog.Snapshot snapshot = EngineTestCase.getTranslog(engine).newSnapshot()) {
-            Translog.Operation op;
-            while ((op = snapshot.next()) != null) {
-                assertThat("translog operation [" + op + "] > max_seq_no[" + maxSeqNo + "]", op.seqNo(), lessThanOrEqualTo(maxSeqNo));
-                translogOps.add(op);
-            }
-        }
-        final Map<Long, Translog.Operation> luceneOps = readAllOperationsInLucene(engine, mapper).stream()
-            .collect(Collectors.toMap(Translog.Operation::seqNo, Function.identity()));
-        for (Translog.Operation op : luceneOps.values()) {
-            assertThat("lucene operation [" + op + "] > max_seq_no[" + maxSeqNo + "]", op.seqNo(), lessThanOrEqualTo(maxSeqNo));
-        }
-        final long globalCheckpoint = EngineTestCase.getTranslog(engine).getLastSyncedGlobalCheckpoint();
-        final long retainedOps = engine.config().getIndexSettings().getSoftDeleteRetentionOperations();
-        final long seqNoForRecovery;
-        try (Engine.IndexCommitRef safeCommit = engine.acquireSafeIndexCommit()) {
-            seqNoForRecovery = Long.parseLong(safeCommit.getIndexCommit().getUserData().get(SequenceNumbers.LOCAL_CHECKPOINT_KEY)) + 1;
-        }
-        final long minSeqNoToRetain = Math.min(seqNoForRecovery, globalCheckpoint + 1 - retainedOps);
-        for (Translog.Operation translogOp : translogOps) {
-            final Translog.Operation luceneOp = luceneOps.get(translogOp.seqNo());
-            if (luceneOp == null) {
-                if (minSeqNoToRetain <= translogOp.seqNo()) {
-                    fail("Operation not found seq# [" + translogOp.seqNo() + "], global checkpoint [" + globalCheckpoint + "], " +
-                        "retention policy [" + retainedOps + "], maxSeqNo [" + maxSeqNo + "], translog op [" + translogOp + "]");
-                } else {
-                    continue;
+        // hold writeLock during this check so indexing can't happen
+        try (ReleasableLock ignored = engine.writeLock.acquire()) {
+            final List<Translog.Operation> translogOps = new ArrayList<>();
+            try (Translog.Snapshot snapshot = EngineTestCase.getTranslog(engine).newSnapshot()) {
+                Translog.Operation op;
+                while ((op = snapshot.next()) != null) {
+                    translogOps.add(op);
                 }
             }
-            assertThat(luceneOp, notNullValue());
-            assertThat(luceneOp.toString(), luceneOp.primaryTerm(), equalTo(translogOp.primaryTerm()));
-            assertThat(luceneOp.opType(), equalTo(translogOp.opType()));
-            if (luceneOp.opType() == Translog.Operation.Type.INDEX) {
-                assertThat(luceneOp.getSource().source, equalTo(translogOp.getSource().source));
+            final Map<Long, Translog.Operation> luceneOps = readAllOperationsInLucene(engine, mapper).stream()
+                .collect(Collectors.toMap(Translog.Operation::seqNo, Function.identity()));
+            final long maxSeqNo = ((InternalEngine) engine).getLocalCheckpointTracker().getMaxSeqNo();
+            for (Translog.Operation op : translogOps) {
+                assertThat("translog operation [" + op + "] > max_seq_no[" + maxSeqNo + "]", op.seqNo(), lessThanOrEqualTo(maxSeqNo));
+            }
+            for (Translog.Operation op : luceneOps.values()) {
+                assertThat("lucene operation [" + op + "] > max_seq_no[" + maxSeqNo + "]", op.seqNo(), lessThanOrEqualTo(maxSeqNo));
+            }
+            final long globalCheckpoint = EngineTestCase.getTranslog(engine).getLastSyncedGlobalCheckpoint();
+            final long retainedOps = engine.config().getIndexSettings().getSoftDeleteRetentionOperations();
+            final long seqNoForRecovery;
+            try (Engine.IndexCommitRef safeCommit = engine.acquireSafeIndexCommit()) {
+                seqNoForRecovery = Long.parseLong(safeCommit.getIndexCommit().getUserData().get(SequenceNumbers.LOCAL_CHECKPOINT_KEY)) + 1;
+            }
+            final long minSeqNoToRetain = Math.min(seqNoForRecovery, globalCheckpoint + 1 - retainedOps);
+            for (Translog.Operation translogOp : translogOps) {
+                final Translog.Operation luceneOp = luceneOps.get(translogOp.seqNo());
+                if (luceneOp == null) {
+                    if (minSeqNoToRetain <= translogOp.seqNo()) {
+                        fail("Operation not found seq# [" + translogOp.seqNo() + "], global checkpoint [" + globalCheckpoint + "], " +
+                            "retention policy [" + retainedOps + "], maxSeqNo [" + maxSeqNo + "], translog op [" + translogOp + "]");
+                    } else {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                }
+                assertThat(luceneOp, notNullValue());
+                assertThat(luceneOp.toString(), luceneOp.primaryTerm(), equalTo(translogOp.primaryTerm()));
+                assertThat(luceneOp.opType(), equalTo(translogOp.opType()));
+                if (luceneOp.opType() == Translog.Operation.Type.INDEX) {
+                    assertThat(luceneOp.getSource().source, equalTo(translogOp.getSource().source));
+                }
             }
         }
     }