diff --git a/test/dummy/app/jobs/continuable_job.rb b/test/dummy/app/jobs/continuable_job.rb
index 00fdfdd24..4a7c2e2c7 100644
--- a/test/dummy/app/jobs/continuable_job.rb
+++ b/test/dummy/app/jobs/continuable_job.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class ContinuableJob < ApplicationJob
 
   def perform(result, pause: 0)
     step :step_one do
+      result.update!(queue_name: queue_name, status: "started", value: "step_one")
       sleep pause if pause > 0
       result.update!(queue_name: queue_name, status: "stepped", value: "step_one")
     end
diff --git a/test/integration/continuation_test.rb b/test/integration/continuation_test.rb
index 8d5d863e5..708bcc6d3 100644
--- a/test/integration/continuation_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/continuation_test.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ def setup
   test "continuable job can be interrupted and resumed" do
     job = ContinuableJob.perform_later(@result, pause: 0.5.seconds)
 
-    sleep 0.2.seconds
+    # Wait for step_one to have started before signaling TERM, so the signal
+    # always arrives while the job is paused inside step_one and the interruption
+    # lands between the two steps
+    wait_while_with_timeout(3.seconds) { !JobResult.exists?(status: "started", value: "step_one") }
     signal_process(@pid, :TERM)
 
     wait_for_jobs_to_be_released_for(2.seconds)