diff --git a/pkg/ccl/acceptanceccl/backup_test.go b/pkg/ccl/acceptanceccl/backup_test.go
index 84c586dc3dc7..39d854c3a096 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/acceptanceccl/backup_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/acceptanceccl/backup_test.go
@@ -122,6 +122,11 @@ func (bt *benchmarkTest) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	// liveness failures. This limit was determined experimentally on
 	// Standard_D3_v2 instances.
 	sqlDB.Exec(`SET CLUSTER SETTING kv.bulk_io_write.max_rate = '30MB'`)
+	// Stats-based rebalancing interacts badly with restore's splits and scatters.
+	//
+	// TODO(benesch): Remove this setting when #17671 is fixed, or document the
+	// necessity of this setting as 1.1 known limitation.
+	sqlDB.Exec(`SET CLUSTER SETTING kv.allocator.stat_based_rebalancing.enabled = false`)
 
 	log.Info(ctx, "initial cluster is up")
 }