diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/type/TransportSearchTypeAction.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/type/TransportSearchTypeAction.java
index b8e01100594..e0d4f83c6ca 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/type/TransportSearchTypeAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/type/TransportSearchTypeAction.java
@@ -278,14 +278,23 @@ public abstract class TransportSearchTypeAction extends TransportAction<SearchRe
                     }
                 }
             } else {
-                ShardRouting nextShard = shardIt.nextOrNull();
+                final ShardRouting nextShard = shardIt.nextOrNull();
                 final boolean lastShard = nextShard == null;
                 // trace log this exception
                 if (logger.isTraceEnabled() && t != null) {
                     logger.trace(executionFailureMsg(shard, shardIt, request, lastShard), t);
                 }
                 if (!lastShard) {
-                    performFirstPhase(shardIndex, shardIt, nextShard);
+                    try {
+                        threadPool.executor(ThreadPool.Names.SEARCH).execute(new Runnable() {
+                            @Override
+                            public void run() {
+                                performFirstPhase(shardIndex, shardIt, nextShard);
+                            }
+                        });
+                    } catch (Throwable t1) {
+                        onFirstPhaseResult(shardIndex, shard, shard.currentNodeId(), shardIt, t1);
+                    }
                 } else {
                     // no more shards active, add a failure
                     if (logger.isDebugEnabled() && !logger.isTraceEnabled()) { // do not double log this exception
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/geo/GeoShapeIntegrationTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/geo/GeoShapeIntegrationTests.java
index 716bac1cfae..dbbd9e42cdc 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/geo/GeoShapeIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/geo/GeoShapeIntegrationTests.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.search.geo;
 
-import org.apache.lucene.util.LuceneTestCase.AwaitsFix;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.get.GetResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.search.SearchResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.geo.builders.ShapeBuilder;
@@ -147,9 +146,7 @@ public class GeoShapeIntegrationTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
         assertThat(searchResponse.getHits().getAt(0).id(), equalTo("blakely"));
     }
 
-    // TODO this test causes hangs, blocking on the action get when fetching the shape for some reason
     @Test
-    @AwaitsFix(bugUrl = "this test causes hangs, blocking on the action get when fetching the shape for some reason")
     public void testIndexedShapeReference() throws Exception {
         String mapping = XContentFactory.jsonBuilder().startObject().startObject("type1")
                 .startObject("properties").startObject("location")