diff --git a/tests/process-global/cutterDescriptorLifetime.test.ts b/tests/process-global/cutterDescriptorLifetime.test.ts
index 463f699abc..f0e6044626 100644
--- a/tests/process-global/cutterDescriptorLifetime.test.ts
+++ b/tests/process-global/cutterDescriptorLifetime.test.ts
@@ -236,8 +236,15 @@ it("does not assign a peer's later cancellation to a descriptor that already fai
   const gate = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
     release = resolve;
   });
+  let firstClosing!: () => void;
+  const firstCloseStarted = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    firstClosing = resolve;
+  });
   fault.onClose = async (handle) => {
-    if (handle === fault.handles[0]) return;
+    if (handle === fault.handles[0]) {
+      firstClosing();
+      return;
+    }
     entered();
     await gate;
   };
@@ -247,10 +254,11 @@ it("does not assign a peer's later cancellation to a descriptor that already fai
     .catch((cause: unknown) => cause);
   try {
     await awaitAcknowledgement(
-      waiting,
+      Promise.all([waiting, firstCloseStarted]).then(() => undefined),
       reading,
       "peer descriptor finalization",
     );
+    // Let the first close rejection propagate while its peer remains gated.
     await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
     controller.abort(reason);
     release();