diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
index 2754b1ff414b1..035ce22094f8c 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ESIntegTestCase.java
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ private TestCluster buildAndPutCluster(Scope currentClusterScope, long seed) thr
         return testCluster;
     }
 
-    private static void clearClusters() throws IOException {
+    private static void clearClusters() throws Exception {
         if (!clusters.isEmpty()) {
             IOUtils.close(clusters.values());
             clusters.clear();
@@ -537,9 +537,9 @@ private static void clearClusters() throws IOException {
             restClient.close();
             restClient = null;
         }
-        assertEquals(HttpChannelTaskHandler.INSTANCE.getNumChannels() + " channels still being tracked in " +
-            HttpChannelTaskHandler.class.getSimpleName() + " while there should be none", 0,
-            HttpChannelTaskHandler.INSTANCE.getNumChannels());
+        assertBusy(() -> assertEquals(HttpChannelTaskHandler.INSTANCE.getNumChannels() + " channels still being tracked in " +
+                    HttpChannelTaskHandler.class.getSimpleName() + " while there should be none", 0,
+                HttpChannelTaskHandler.INSTANCE.getNumChannels()));
     }
 
     private void afterInternal(boolean afterClass) throws Exception {