diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/state/CloseWhileRelocatingShardsIT.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/state/CloseWhileRelocatingShardsIT.java
index 555bf24335413..99c50a839abc6 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/state/CloseWhileRelocatingShardsIT.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/state/CloseWhileRelocatingShardsIT.java
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ public void testCloseWhileRelocatingShards() throws Exception {
 
         final String targetNode = internalCluster().startDataOnlyNode();
         ensureClusterSizeConsistency(); // wait for the master to finish processing join.
+        final MockTransportService targetTransportService =
+            (MockTransportService) internalCluster().getInstance(TransportService.class, targetNode);
 
         final Set<String> acknowledgedCloses = ConcurrentCollections.newConcurrentSet();
         try {
@@ -146,8 +148,7 @@ public void testCloseWhileRelocatingShards() throws Exception {
                 }
 
                 final DiscoveryNode sourceNode = clusterService.state().nodes().resolveNode(primary.currentNodeId());
-                ((MockTransportService) internalCluster().getInstance(TransportService.class, targetNode))
-                    .addSendBehavior(internalCluster().getInstance(TransportService.class, sourceNode.getName()),
+                targetTransportService.addSendBehavior(internalCluster().getInstance(TransportService.class, sourceNode.getName()),
                         (connection, requestId, action, request, options) -> {
                             if (PeerRecoverySourceService.Actions.START_RECOVERY.equals(action)) {
                                 logger.debug("blocking recovery of shard {}", ((StartRecoveryRequest) request).shardId());
@@ -210,28 +211,30 @@ public void testCloseWhileRelocatingShards() throws Exception {
                     }
                 }
             }
-        } finally {
-            assertAcked(client().admin().cluster().prepareUpdateSettings()
-                .setTransientSettings(Settings.builder()
-                    .putNull(EnableAllocationDecider.CLUSTER_ROUTING_REBALANCE_ENABLE_SETTING.getKey())));
-        }
 
-        for (String index : indices) {
-            if (acknowledgedCloses.contains(index)) {
-                assertIndexIsClosed(index);
-            } else {
-                assertIndexIsOpened(index);
+            for (String index : indices) {
+                if (acknowledgedCloses.contains(index)) {
+                    assertIndexIsClosed(index);
+                } else {
+                    assertIndexIsOpened(index);
+                }
             }
-        }
 
-        assertThat("Consider that the test failed if no indices were successfully closed", acknowledgedCloses.size(), greaterThan(0));
-        assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareOpen("index-*"));
-        ensureGreen(indices);
+            targetTransportService.clearAllRules();
+
+            assertThat("Consider that the test failed if no indices were successfully closed", acknowledgedCloses.size(), greaterThan(0));
+            assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareOpen("index-*"));
+            ensureGreen(indices);
 
-        for (String index : acknowledgedCloses) {
-            long docsCount = client().prepareSearch(index).setSize(0).get().getHits().getTotalHits().value;
-            assertEquals("Expected " + docsPerIndex.get(index) + " docs in index " + index + " but got " + docsCount
-                + " (close acknowledged=" + acknowledgedCloses.contains(index) + ")", (long) docsPerIndex.get(index), docsCount);
+            for (String index : acknowledgedCloses) {
+                long docsCount = client().prepareSearch(index).setSize(0).get().getHits().getTotalHits().value;
+                assertEquals("Expected " + docsPerIndex.get(index) + " docs in index " + index + " but got " + docsCount
+                    + " (close acknowledged=" + acknowledgedCloses.contains(index) + ")", (long) docsPerIndex.get(index), docsCount);
+            }
+        } finally {
+            assertAcked(client().admin().cluster().prepareUpdateSettings()
+                .setTransientSettings(Settings.builder()
+                    .putNull(EnableAllocationDecider.CLUSTER_ROUTING_REBALANCE_ENABLE_SETTING.getKey())));
         }
     }
 }