diff --git a/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row.js b/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row.js
index dcf9c45787cca..c8922f96855fe 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ module.directive('kbnTableRow', function ($compile, $httpParamSerializer, kbnUrl
       onRemoveColumn: '=?',
     },
     link: function ($scope, $el) {
-      $el.after('<tr>');
+      $el.after('<tr data-test-subj="docTableDetailsRow">');
       $el.empty();
 
       // when we compile the details, we use this $scope
diff --git a/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row/details.html b/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row/details.html
index 46e52b7caa4f1..5705d460172a1 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row/details.html
+++ b/src/ui/public/doc_table/components/table_row/details.html
@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@
     index-pattern="indexPattern"
     on-add-column="onAddColumn"
     on-remove-column="onRemoveColumn"
+    data-test-subj="docViewer"
   ></doc-viewer>
 </td>
diff --git a/test/functional/services/doc_table.js b/test/functional/services/doc_table.js
index 3589c3665a88e..523accee3f70f 100644
--- a/test/functional/services/doc_table.js
+++ b/test/functional/services/doc_table.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 export function DocTableProvider({ getService }) {
   const testSubjects = getService('testSubjects');
+  const retry = getService('retry');
 
   class DocTable {
     async getTable() {
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ export function DocTableProvider({ getService }) {
     }
 
     async getAnchorDetailsRow(table) {
-      return await table.findByCssSelector('[data-test-subj~="docTableAnchorRow"] + tr');
+      return await table.findByCssSelector('[data-test-subj~="docTableAnchorRow"] + [data-test-subj~="docTableDetailsRow"]');
     }
 
     async getRowExpandToggle(row) {
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ export function DocTableProvider({ getService }) {
     }
 
     async getDetailsRows(table) {
-      return await table.findAllByCssSelector('[data-test-subj~="docTableRow"] + tr');
+      return await table.findAllByCssSelector('[data-test-subj~="docTableRow"] + [data-test-subj~="docTableDetailsRow"]');
     }
 
     async getRowActions(row) {
@@ -54,7 +55,12 @@ export function DocTableProvider({ getService }) {
 
     async toggleRowExpanded(row) {
       const rowExpandToggle = await this.getRowExpandToggle(row);
-      return await rowExpandToggle.click();
+      await rowExpandToggle.click();
+
+      const detailsRow = await row.findByXpath('./following-sibling::*[@data-test-subj="docTableDetailsRow"]');
+      return await retry.try(async () => {
+        return detailsRow.findByCssSelector('[data-test-subj~="docViewer"]');
+      });
     }
   }