diff --git a/infrastructure/containerd/event_service_test.go b/infrastructure/containerd/event_service_test.go
index d2da3b1f..7be29677 100644
--- a/infrastructure/containerd/event_service_test.go
+++ b/infrastructure/containerd/event_service_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package containerd_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 
@@ -11,6 +13,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/weaveworks/reignite/infrastructure/containerd"
 )
 
+const (
+	numberOfSubscribers = 2
+	sleepTime           = 10
+)
+
 func TestEventService_Integration(t *testing.T) {
 	if !runContainerDTests() {
 		t.Skip("skipping containerd event service integration test")
@@ -26,84 +33,117 @@ func TestEventService_Integration(t *testing.T) {
 		Namespace:         testContainerdNs,
 	}, client)
 
+	testEvents := []*events.MicroVMSpecCreated{
+		{ID: "vm1", Namespace: "ns1"},
+		{ID: "vm2", Namespace: "ns1"},
+		{ID: "vm1", Namespace: "ns2"},
+	}
+
+	var (
+		wgReady sync.WaitGroup
+		wgDone  sync.WaitGroup
+	)
+
 	t.Log("creating subscribers")
 
-	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	evt1, err1 := es.Subscribe(ctx1)
-	ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	evt2, err2 := es.Subscribe(ctx2)
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfSubscribers; i++ {
+		wgReady.Add(1)
+		wgDone.Add(1)
 
-	errChan := make(chan error)
+		data := subData{
+			ID:        i,
+			ES:        es,
+			MaxEvents: len(testEvents),
+			Ready:     wgReady.Done,
+			Done:      wgDone.Done,
+		}
 
-	testEvents := []*events.MicroVMSpecCreated{
-		{
-			ID:        "vm1",
-			Namespace: "ns1",
-		},
-		{
-			ID:        "vm2",
-			Namespace: "ns1",
-		},
+		go newSubscriber(t, ctx, data)
 	}
 
-	go func() {
-		defer close(errChan)
-		for _, event := range testEvents {
-			if err := es.Publish(ctx, "/reignite/test", event); err != nil {
-				errChan <- err
-				return
-			}
+	wgReady.Wait()
+
+	// Without this, it's still possible we publish the first ever before the
+	// connection is read.
+	time.Sleep(time.Microsecond * sleepTime)
+
+	t.Log("publishing events")
+
+	for _, event := range testEvents {
+		t.Logf("publishing event: %v", event)
+		if err := es.Publish(ctx, "/reignite/test", event); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+			break
 		}
+	}
+
+	t.Log("finished publishing events")
+
+	wgDone.Wait()
+}
+
+type subData struct {
+	ID        int
+	ES        ports.EventService
+	MaxEvents int
+	Ready     func()
+	Done      func()
+}
 
-		t.Log("finished publishing events")
-	}()
+func newSubscriber(t *testing.T, rootContext context.Context, data subData) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(rootContext)
+	evtChan, errChan := data.ES.Subscribe(ctx)
 
-	t.Log("subscribers waiting for events")
-	if err := <-errChan; err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
+	subscriber := testSubscriber{
+		eventCh:    evtChan,
+		eventErrCh: errChan,
+		cancel:     cancel,
 	}
 
-	for _, subscriber := range []struct {
-		eventCh    <-chan *ports.EventEnvelope
-		eventErrCh <-chan error
-		cancel     func()
-	}{
-		{
-			eventCh:    evt1,
-			eventErrCh: err1,
-			cancel:     cancel1,
-		},
-		{
-			eventCh:    evt2,
-			eventErrCh: err2,
-			cancel:     cancel2,
-		},
-	} {
-		recvd := []interface{}{}
-	subscibercheck:
-		for {
-			select {
-			case env := <-subscriber.eventCh:
-				if env != nil {
-					recvd = append(recvd, env.Event)
-				} else {
-					break subscibercheck
-				}
-			case err := <-subscriber.eventErrCh:
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Fatal(err)
-				}
-				break subscibercheck
-			}
+	t.Logf("subscriber (%d) is ready to receive events", data.ID)
+	data.Ready()
+	recvd, err := watch(t, &subscriber, data.MaxEvents)
+	t.Logf("subscriber (%d) is done", data.ID)
+
+	Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+	Expect(recvd).To(HaveLen(data.MaxEvents))
+
+	data.Done()
+}
+
+func watch(t *testing.T, subscriber *testSubscriber, maxEvents int) ([]interface{}, error) {
 
-			if len(recvd) == len(testEvents) {
-				subscriber.cancel()
+	recvd := []interface{}{}
+
+	var err error
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case env := <-subscriber.eventCh:
+			if env == nil {
+				break
 			}
+			recvd = append(recvd, env.Event)
+		case err = <-subscriber.eventErrCh:
+			break
+		}
+
+		if len(recvd) == maxEvents {
+			subscriber.cancel()
+			break
 		}
 	}
+
+	return recvd, err
 }
 
 type testEvent struct {
 	Name  string
 	Value string
 }
+
+type testSubscriber struct {
+	eventCh    <-chan *ports.EventEnvelope
+	eventErrCh <-chan error
+	cancel     func()
+}