diff --git a/test/functional/apps/discover/_indexpattern_without_timefield.ts b/test/functional/apps/discover/_indexpattern_without_timefield.ts
index ff3ad0daf69db..81fb4f92ab730 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/discover/_indexpattern_without_timefield.ts
+++ b/test/functional/apps/discover/_indexpattern_without_timefield.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import expect from '@kbn/expect';
 import { FtrProviderContext } from '../../ftr_provider_context';
 
 export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
+  const retry = getService('retry');
   const browser = getService('browser');
   const esArchiver = getService('esArchiver');
   const kibanaServer = getService('kibanaServer');
@@ -56,22 +57,33 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
 
     it('should display a timepicker after switching to an index pattern with timefield', async () => {
       await PageObjects.discover.selectIndexPattern('with-timefield');
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitForDocTableLoadingComplete();
       if (!(await PageObjects.timePicker.timePickerExists())) {
         throw new Error('Expected timepicker to exist');
       }
     });
     it('should switch between with and without timefield using the browser back button', async () => {
       await PageObjects.discover.selectIndexPattern('without-timefield');
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitForDocTableLoadingComplete();
       if (await PageObjects.timePicker.timePickerExists()) {
         throw new Error('Expected timepicker not to exist');
       }
 
       await PageObjects.discover.selectIndexPattern('with-timefield');
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitForDocTableLoadingComplete();
       if (!(await PageObjects.timePicker.timePickerExists())) {
         throw new Error('Expected timepicker to exist');
       }
-      // Navigating back to discover
+      // Navigating back
       await browser.goBack();
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitForDocTableLoadingComplete();
+      await retry.waitForWithTimeout(
+        'index pattern to have been switched back to "without-timefield"',
+        5000,
+        async () =>
+          (await testSubjects.getVisibleText('indexPattern-switch-link')) === 'without-timefield'
+      );
+
       if (await PageObjects.timePicker.timePickerExists()) {
         throw new Error('Expected timepicker not to exist');
       }