diff --git a/pkg/jobs/jobs_test.go b/pkg/jobs/jobs_test.go
index 95fa5700ec0d..a7674e35a701 100644
--- a/pkg/jobs/jobs_test.go
+++ b/pkg/jobs/jobs_test.go
@@ -2534,18 +2534,20 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 	jobs.RegisterConstructor(jobspb.TypeImport, func(_ *jobs.Job, _ *cluster.Settings) jobs.Resumer {
 		return res
 	})
-	setup := func(t *testing.T) (s serverutils.TestServerInterface, r *jobs.Registry, cleanup func()) {
+	setup := func(t *testing.T) (
+		s serverutils.TestServerInterface, db *gosql.DB, r *jobs.Registry, cleanup func(),
+	) {
 		jobConstructorCleanup := jobs.ResetConstructors()
-		s, _, _ = serverutils.StartServer(t, base.TestServerArgs{})
+		s, db, _ = serverutils.StartServer(t, base.TestServerArgs{})
 		r = s.JobRegistry().(*jobs.Registry)
-		return s, r, func() {
+		return s, db, r, func() {
 			jobConstructorCleanup()
 			s.Stopper().Stop(ctx)
 		}
 	}
 
 	t.Run("success", func(t *testing.T) {
-		_, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
+		_, _, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
 		defer cleanup()
 		rec := jobs.Record{
 			DescriptorIDs: []descpb.ID{1},
@@ -2561,7 +2563,7 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 		int64EqSoon(t, backupMetrics.ResumeCompleted.Count, 1)
 	})
 	t.Run("restart, pause, resume, then success", func(t *testing.T) {
-		_, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
+		_, db, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
 		defer cleanup()
 		rec := jobs.Record{
 			DescriptorIDs: []descpb.ID{1},
@@ -2592,6 +2594,12 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 			require.Equal(t, int64(0), importMetrics.ResumeCompleted.Count())
 			require.Equal(t, int64(0), importMetrics.CurrentlyRunning.Value())
 		}
+		{
+			// Wait for the job to be marked paused.
+			tdb := sqlutils.MakeSQLRunner(db)
+			q := fmt.Sprintf("SELECT status FROM system.jobs WHERE id = %d", jobID)
+			tdb.CheckQueryResultsRetry(t, q, [][]string{{"paused"}})
+		}
 		{
 			// Now resume the job and let it succeed.
 			require.NoError(t, registry.Unpause(ctx, nil, jobID))
@@ -2602,7 +2610,7 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("failure then restarts in revert", func(t *testing.T) {
-		_, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
+		_, _, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
 		defer cleanup()
 		rec := jobs.Record{
 			DescriptorIDs: []descpb.ID{1},
@@ -2637,7 +2645,7 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("fail, pause, resume, then success on failure", func(t *testing.T) {
-		_, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
+		_, db, registry, cleanup := setup(t)
 		defer cleanup()
 		rec := jobs.Record{
 			DescriptorIDs: []descpb.ID{1},
@@ -2668,6 +2676,12 @@ func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 			require.Equal(t, int64(0), importMetrics.ResumeCompleted.Count())
 			require.Equal(t, int64(0), importMetrics.CurrentlyRunning.Value())
 		}
+		{
+			// Wait for the job to be marked paused.
+			tdb := sqlutils.MakeSQLRunner(db)
+			q := fmt.Sprintf("SELECT status FROM system.jobs WHERE id = %d", jobID)
+			tdb.CheckQueryResultsRetry(t, q, [][]string{{"paused"}})
+		}
 		{
 			// Now resume the job and let it succeed.
 			require.NoError(t, registry.Unpause(ctx, nil, jobID))