diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/allocation/ClusterAllocationExplainIT.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/allocation/ClusterAllocationExplainIT.java
index 97c1a20c33f..23fdf3499b2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/allocation/ClusterAllocationExplainIT.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/allocation/ClusterAllocationExplainIT.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.allocation;
 
-import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.node.stats.NodesStatsResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.indices.shards.IndicesShardStoresResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.ActiveShardCount;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.Requests;
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESIntegTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.junit.annotations.TestLogging;
 
-import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.assertAcked;
@@ -47,14 +45,11 @@ public final class ClusterAllocationExplainIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
     @TestLogging("_root:DEBUG")
     public void testDelayShards() throws Exception {
         logger.info("--> starting 3 nodes");
-        List<String> nodes = internalCluster().startNodesAsync(3).get();
+        internalCluster().startNodesAsync(3).get();
 
         // Wait for all 3 nodes to be up
         logger.info("--> waiting for 3 nodes to be up");
-        assertBusy(() -> {
-            NodesStatsResponse resp = client().admin().cluster().prepareNodesStats().get();
-            assertThat(resp.getNodes().size(), equalTo(3));
-        });
+        ensureStableCluster(3);
 
         logger.info("--> creating 'test' index");
         assertAcked(prepareCreate("test").setSettings(Settings.builder()
@@ -66,7 +61,8 @@ public final class ClusterAllocationExplainIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
         logger.info("--> stopping a random node");
         assertTrue(internalCluster().stopRandomDataNode());
 
-        ensureYellow("test");
+        logger.info("--> waiting for the master to remove the stopped node from the cluster state");
+        ensureStableCluster(2);
 
         ClusterAllocationExplainResponse resp = client().admin().cluster().prepareAllocationExplain().useAnyUnassignedShard().get();
         ClusterAllocationExplanation cae = resp.getExplanation();