diff --git a/eth/sync_test.go b/eth/sync_test.go
index 4e874a8b39..dc295f2790 100644
--- a/eth/sync_test.go
+++ b/eth/sync_test.go
@@ -88,8 +88,10 @@ func testSnapSyncDisabling(t *testing.T, ethVer uint, snapVer uint) {
 	if err := empty.handler.downloader.BeaconSync(ethconfig.SnapSync, full.chain.CurrentBlock(), nil); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("sync failed:", err)
 	}
-	// Wait for downloader to finish processing with a timeout
-	for timeout := time.After(5 * time.Second); ; {
+	// Downloader internally has to wait for a timer (3s) to be expired before
+	// exiting. Poll after to determine if sync is disabled.
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 3)
+	for timeout := time.After(time.Second); ; {
 		select {
 		case <-timeout:
 			t.Fatalf("snap sync not disabled after successful synchronisation")