diff --git a/qa/rolling-upgrade/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/upgrades/WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT.java b/qa/rolling-upgrade/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/upgrades/WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT.java
index 5c2f9e2ac67..4ef57a77d0b 100644
--- a/qa/rolling-upgrade/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/upgrades/WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT.java
+++ b/qa/rolling-upgrade/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/upgrades/WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT.java
@@ -137,19 +137,17 @@ public class WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT extends ESRestTestCase {
     }
 
     public void testWatcherRestart() throws Exception {
-        executeAgainstRandomNode(client -> {
-            assertOK(client.performRequest("POST", "/_xpack/watcher/_stop"));
-            assertBusy(() -> {
-                try (InputStream is = client.performRequest("GET", "_xpack/watcher/stats").getEntity().getContent()) {
-                    // TODO once the serialization fix is in here, we can check for concrete fields if the run against a 5.x or a 6.x node
-                    // using a checkedbiconsumer, that provides info against which node the request runs
-                    String responseBody = Streams.copyToString(new InputStreamReader(is, Charsets.UTF_8));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"starting\"")));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"started\"")));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopping\"")));
-                }
-            });
-        });
+        executeAgainstRandomNode(client -> assertOK(client.performRequest("POST", "/_xpack/watcher/_stop")));
+        executeAgainstMasterNode(client -> assertBusy(() -> {
+            try (InputStream is = client.performRequest("GET", "_xpack/watcher/stats").getEntity().getContent()) {
+                // TODO once the serialization fix is in here, we can check for concrete fields if the run against a 5.x or a 6.x node
+                // using a checkedbiconsumer, that provides info against which node the request runs
+                String responseBody = Streams.copyToString(new InputStreamReader(is, Charsets.UTF_8));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"starting\"")));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"started\"")));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopping\"")));
+            }
+        }));
 
         // currently the triggered watches index is not checked by the upgrade API, resulting in an existing index
         // that has not configured the `index.format: 6`, resulting in watcher not starting
@@ -160,19 +158,17 @@ public class WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT extends ESRestTestCase {
 
         executeUpgradeIfNeeded();
 
-        executeAgainstRandomNode(client -> {
-            assertOK(client.performRequest("POST", "/_xpack/watcher/_start"));
-            assertBusy(() -> {
-                try (InputStream is = client.performRequest("GET", "_xpack/watcher/stats").getEntity().getContent()) {
-                    // TODO once the serialization fix is in here, we can check for concrete fields if the run against a 5.x or a 6.x node
-                    // using a checkedbiconsumer, that provides info against which node the request runs
-                    String responseBody = Streams.copyToString(new InputStreamReader(is, Charsets.UTF_8));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"starting\"")));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopping\"")));
-                    assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopped\"")));
-                }
-            });
-        });
+        executeAgainstRandomNode(client -> assertOK(client.performRequest("POST", "/_xpack/watcher/_start")));
+        executeAgainstMasterNode(client -> assertBusy(() -> {
+            try (InputStream is = client.performRequest("GET", "_xpack/watcher/stats").getEntity().getContent()) {
+                // TODO once the serialization fix is in here, we can check for concrete fields if the run against a 5.x or a 6.x node
+                // using a checkedbiconsumer, that provides info against which node the request runs
+                String responseBody = Streams.copyToString(new InputStreamReader(is, Charsets.UTF_8));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"starting\"")));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopping\"")));
+                assertThat(responseBody, not(containsString("\"watcher_state\":\"stopped\"")));
+            }
+        }));
     }
 
     public void testWatchCrudApis() throws IOException {
@@ -232,6 +228,12 @@ public class WatchBackwardsCompatibilityIT extends ESRestTestCase {
         }
     }
 
+    private void executeAgainstMasterNode(CheckedConsumer<RestClient, Exception> consumer) throws Exception {
+        try (RestClient client = buildClient(restClientSettings(), new HttpHost[]{this.nodes.getMaster().publishAddress})) {
+            consumer.accept(client);
+        }
+    }
+
     private void executeAgainstAllNodes(CheckedConsumer<RestClient, IOException> consumer)
             throws IOException {
         HttpHost[] newHosts = nodes.getNewNodes().stream().map(Node::getPublishAddress).toArray(HttpHost[]::new);