diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/dist_sender_server_test.go b/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/dist_sender_server_test.go
index e8fa63fed9ac..b558f67d315f 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/dist_sender_server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/dist_sender_server_test.go
@@ -4847,6 +4847,9 @@ func TestProxyTracing(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		kvserver.RangefeedEnabled.Override(ctx, &st.SV, true)
 		kvserver.RangeFeedRefreshInterval.Override(ctx, &st.SV, 10*time.Millisecond)
+		// Disable follower reads to ensure that the request is proxied, and not
+		// answered locally due to follower reads.
+		kvserver.FollowerReadsEnabled.Override(ctx, &st.SV, false)
 		closedts.TargetDuration.Override(ctx, &st.SV, 10*time.Millisecond)
 		closedts.SideTransportCloseInterval.Override(ctx, &st.SV, 10*time.Millisecond)