diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/native-multi-node-tests/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/integration/DatafeedJobsIT.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/native-multi-node-tests/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/integration/DatafeedJobsIT.java
index 9b6523eb73c..8953c65d15b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/native-multi-node-tests/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/integration/DatafeedJobsIT.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/qa/native-multi-node-tests/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/integration/DatafeedJobsIT.java
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.node.hotthreads.NodeHotThreads;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.node.hotthreads.NodesHotThreadsResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.AcknowledgedResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.CheckedConsumer;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.CheckedRunnable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.ConcurrentCollections;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMapLong;
@@ -106,15 +108,15 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
         Instant now = Instant.now();
         indexDocs(logger, "data", numDocs, now.minus(Duration.ofDays(14)).toEpochMilli(), now.toEpochMilli());
 
-        Job.Builder job = createScheduledJob("lookback-job");
+        Job.Builder job = createScheduledJob("lookback-job-datafeed-recreated");
 
-        String datafeedId = "lookback-datafeed";
+        String datafeedId = "lookback-datafeed-datafeed-recreated";
         DatafeedConfig datafeedConfig = createDatafeed(datafeedId, job.getId(), Arrays.asList("data"));
 
         registerJob(job);
         putJob(job);
 
-        for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
+        CheckedRunnable<Exception> openAndRunJob = () -> {
             openJob(job.getId());
             assertBusy(() -> assertEquals(getJobStats(job.getId()).get(0).getState(), JobState.OPENED));
             registerDatafeed(datafeedConfig);
@@ -129,7 +131,10 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
             }, 60, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
             deleteDatafeed(datafeedId);
             waitUntilJobIsClosed(job.getId());
-        }
+        };
+
+        openAndRunJob.run();
+        openAndRunJob.run();
     }
 
     public void testDatafeedTimingStats_DatafeedJobIdUpdated() throws Exception {
@@ -140,8 +145,8 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
         Instant now = Instant.now();
         indexDocs(logger, "data", numDocs, now.minus(Duration.ofDays(14)).toEpochMilli(), now.toEpochMilli());
 
-        Job.Builder jobA = createScheduledJob("lookback-job");
-        Job.Builder jobB = createScheduledJob("other-lookback-job");
+        Job.Builder jobA = createScheduledJob("lookback-job-jobid-updated");
+        Job.Builder jobB = createScheduledJob("other-lookback-job-jobid-updated");
         for (Job.Builder job : Arrays.asList(jobA, jobB)) {
             registerJob(job);
             putJob(job);
@@ -152,11 +157,10 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
         registerDatafeed(datafeedConfig);
         putDatafeed(datafeedConfig);
 
-        for (Job.Builder job : Arrays.asList(jobA, jobB, jobA)) {
+        CheckedConsumer<Job.Builder, Exception> openAndRunJob = job -> {
             openJob(job.getId());
             assertBusy(() -> assertEquals(getJobStats(job.getId()).get(0).getState(), JobState.OPENED));
             // Bind datafeedId to the current job on the list, timing stats are wiped out.
-            updateDatafeed(new DatafeedUpdate.Builder(datafeedId).setJobId(job.getId()).build());
             // Datafeed did not do anything yet, hence search_count is equal to 0.
             assertDatafeedStats(datafeedId, DatafeedState.STOPPED, job.getId(), equalTo(0L));
             startDatafeed(datafeedId, 0L, now.toEpochMilli());
@@ -166,7 +170,13 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
                 assertDatafeedStats(datafeedId, DatafeedState.STOPPED, job.getId(), greaterThan(0L));
             }, 60, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
             waitUntilJobIsClosed(job.getId());
-        }
+        };
+
+        openAndRunJob.accept(jobA);
+        updateDatafeed(new DatafeedUpdate.Builder(datafeedId).setJobId(jobB.getId()).build());  // wipes out timing stats
+        openAndRunJob.accept(jobB);
+        updateDatafeed(new DatafeedUpdate.Builder(datafeedId).setJobId(jobA.getId()).build());  // wipes out timing stats
+        openAndRunJob.accept(jobA);
     }
 
     public void testDatafeedTimingStats_QueryDelayUpdated_TimingStatsNotReset() throws Exception {
@@ -177,11 +187,11 @@ public class DatafeedJobsIT extends MlNativeAutodetectIntegTestCase {
         Instant now = Instant.now();
         indexDocs(logger, "data", numDocs, now.minus(Duration.ofDays(14)).toEpochMilli(), now.toEpochMilli());
 
-        Job.Builder job = createScheduledJob("lookback-job");
+        Job.Builder job = createScheduledJob("lookback-job-query-delay-updated");
         registerJob(job);
         putJob(job);
 
-        String datafeedId = "lookback-datafeed";
+        String datafeedId = "lookback-datafeed-query-delay-updated";
         DatafeedConfig datafeedConfig = createDatafeed(datafeedId, job.getId(), Arrays.asList("data"));
         registerDatafeed(datafeedConfig);
         putDatafeed(datafeedConfig);