diff --git a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/hints/HintsBufferPoolTest.java b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/hints/HintsBufferPoolTest.java
index 3fb912ef9f..7c8d0bede6 100644
--- a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/hints/HintsBufferPoolTest.java
+++ b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/hints/HintsBufferPoolTest.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class HintsBufferPoolTest
         });
         blocked.start();
 
-        Util.spinAssertEquals(State.WAITING, () -> blocked.getState(), 1);
+        Util.spinAssertEquals(true, () -> blockedOnBackpressure, 60);
 
         while (blocked.isAlive())
             if (!returnedBuffers.isEmpty())