diff --git a/api/watch/funcs_test.go b/api/watch/funcs_test.go
index 6c6f4485c8..664f5f68f0 100644
--- a/api/watch/funcs_test.go
+++ b/api/watch/funcs_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ func makeClient(t *testing.T) (*api.Client, *testutil.TestServer) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	conf.Address = server.HTTPAddr
 
+	server.WaitForLeader(t)
+
 	// Create client
 	client, err := api.NewClient(conf)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -370,6 +372,8 @@ func TestNodesWatch(t *testing.T) {
 	c, s := makeClient(t)
 	defer s.Stop()
 
+	s.WaitForSerfCheck(t) // wait for AE to sync
+
 	var (
 		wakeups  [][]*api.Node
 		notifyCh = make(chan struct{})