diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
index e9db5e404c7..6cbaa3d9055 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.action.support.replication.ClusterStateCreationUtils.stateWithStartedPrimary;
 import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.equalTo;
+import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.instanceOf;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 
 public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
     private static ThreadPool THREAD_POOL;
@@ -119,6 +121,41 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         THREAD_POOL = null;
     }
 
+    public void testSuccess() throws InterruptedException {
+        final String index = "test";
+
+        clusterService.setState(stateWithStartedPrimary(index, true, randomInt(5)));
+
+        String indexUUID = clusterService.state().metaData().index(index).getIndexUUID();
+
+        AtomicBoolean success = new AtomicBoolean();
+        CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+
+        ShardRouting shardRouting = getRandomShardRouting(index);
+        shardStateAction.shardFailed(shardRouting, indexUUID, "test", getSimulatedFailure(), new ShardStateAction.Listener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onSuccess() {
+                success.set(true);
+                latch.countDown();
+            }
+        });
+
+        CapturingTransport.CapturedRequest[] capturedRequests = transport.getCapturedRequestsAndClear();
+        assertEquals(1, capturedRequests.length);
+        // the request is a shard failed request
+        assertThat(capturedRequests[0].request, is(instanceOf(ShardStateAction.ShardRoutingEntry.class)));
+        ShardStateAction.ShardRoutingEntry shardRoutingEntry = (ShardStateAction.ShardRoutingEntry)capturedRequests[0].request;
+        // for the right shard
+        assertEquals(shardRouting, shardRoutingEntry.getShardRouting());
+        // sent to the master
+        assertEquals(clusterService.state().nodes().masterNode().getId(), capturedRequests[0].node.getId());
+
+        transport.handleResponse(capturedRequests[0].requestId, TransportResponse.Empty.INSTANCE);
+
+        latch.await();
+        assertTrue(success.get());
+    }
+
     public void testNoMaster() throws InterruptedException {
         final String index = "test";
 
@@ -131,11 +168,10 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         String indexUUID = clusterService.state().metaData().index(index).getIndexUUID();
 
         CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
-        AtomicBoolean noMaster = new AtomicBoolean();
         AtomicBoolean retried = new AtomicBoolean();
         AtomicBoolean success = new AtomicBoolean();
 
-        setUpMasterRetryVerification(noMaster, retried, latch);
+        setUpMasterRetryVerification(retried, latch);
 
         shardStateAction.shardFailed(getRandomShardRouting(index), indexUUID, "test", getSimulatedFailure(), new ShardStateAction.Listener() {
             @Override
@@ -147,7 +183,6 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
 
         latch.await();
 
-        assertTrue(noMaster.get());
         assertTrue(retried.get());
         assertTrue(success.get());
     }
@@ -160,12 +195,11 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         String indexUUID = clusterService.state().metaData().index(index).getIndexUUID();
 
         CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
-        AtomicBoolean noMaster = new AtomicBoolean();
         AtomicBoolean retried = new AtomicBoolean();
         AtomicBoolean success = new AtomicBoolean();
         AtomicReference<Exception> exception = new AtomicReference<>();
 
-        setUpMasterRetryVerification(noMaster, retried, latch);
+        setUpMasterRetryVerification(retried, latch);
 
         shardStateAction.shardFailed(getRandomShardRouting(index), indexUUID, "test", getSimulatedFailure(), new ShardStateAction.Listener() {
             @Override
@@ -185,6 +219,7 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         final CapturingTransport.CapturedRequest[] capturedRequests = transport.getCapturedRequestsAndClear();
         assertThat(capturedRequests.length, equalTo(1));
         assertFalse(success.get());
+        assertFalse(retried.get());
         List<Exception> possibleExceptions = new ArrayList<>();
         possibleExceptions.add(new NotMasterException("simulated"));
         possibleExceptions.add(new NodeDisconnectedException(clusterService.state().nodes().masterNode(), ShardStateAction.SHARD_FAILED_ACTION_NAME));
@@ -206,6 +241,11 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         AtomicBoolean failure = new AtomicBoolean();
 
         shardStateAction.shardFailed(getRandomShardRouting(index), indexUUID, "test", getSimulatedFailure(), new ShardStateAction.Listener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onSuccess() {
+                assert false;
+            }
+
             @Override
             public void onShardFailedFailure(Exception e) {
                 failure.set(true);
@@ -228,19 +268,17 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
         return shardRouting;
     }
 
-    private void setUpMasterRetryVerification(AtomicBoolean noMaster, AtomicBoolean retried, CountDownLatch latch) {
+    private void setUpMasterRetryVerification(AtomicBoolean retried, CountDownLatch latch) {
         shardStateAction.setOnBeforeWaitForNewMasterAndRetry(() -> {
             DiscoveryNodes.Builder masterBuilder = DiscoveryNodes.builder(clusterService.state().nodes());
             masterBuilder.masterNodeId(clusterService.state().nodes().masterNodes().iterator().next().value.id());
             clusterService.setState(ClusterState.builder(clusterService.state()).nodes(masterBuilder));
         });
 
-        shardStateAction.setOnAfterWaitForNewMasterAndRetry(() -> verifyRetry(noMaster, retried, latch));
+        shardStateAction.setOnAfterWaitForNewMasterAndRetry(() -> verifyRetry(retried, latch));
     }
 
-    private void verifyRetry(AtomicBoolean invoked, AtomicBoolean retried, CountDownLatch latch) {
-        invoked.set(true);
-
+    private void verifyRetry(AtomicBoolean retried, CountDownLatch latch) {
         // assert a retry request was sent
         final CapturingTransport.CapturedRequest[] capturedRequests = transport.getCapturedRequestsAndClear();
         retried.set(capturedRequests.length == 1);