diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ilm/qa/multi-node/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ilm/TimeSeriesLifecycleActionsIT.java b/x-pack/plugin/ilm/qa/multi-node/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ilm/TimeSeriesLifecycleActionsIT.java
index 00414b20679e3..bbdd1a797c38b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ilm/qa/multi-node/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ilm/TimeSeriesLifecycleActionsIT.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ilm/qa/multi-node/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ilm/TimeSeriesLifecycleActionsIT.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.AllocateAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.DeleteAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.DeleteStep;
-import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.ErrorStep;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.ForceMergeAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.FreezeAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.FreezeStep;
@@ -1406,7 +1405,8 @@ public void testHistoryIsWrittenWithFailure() throws Exception {
         Request refreshIndex = new Request("POST", "/" + index + "-1/_refresh");
         client().performRequest(refreshIndex);
 
-        assertBusy(() -> assertThat(getStepKeyForIndex(index + "-1").getName(), equalTo(ErrorStep.NAME)), 30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+        // Check that we've had error and auto retried
+        assertBusy(() -> assertThat((Integer) explainIndex(index + "-1").get("failed_step_retry_count"), greaterThanOrEqualTo(1)));
 
         assertBusy(() -> assertHistoryIsPresent(policy, index + "-1", false, "ERROR"), 30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
     }