diff --git a/examples/local/backups/restart_tablets.sh b/examples/local/backups/restart_tablets.sh
index 2c6aa19aa43..038fafc5dbf 100755
--- a/examples/local/backups/restart_tablets.sh
+++ b/examples/local/backups/restart_tablets.sh
@@ -23,19 +23,41 @@ for i in 100 101 102; do
   CELL=zone1 TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/mysqlctl-up.sh
   CELL=zone1 KEYSPACE=commerce TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/vttablet-up.sh
 done
-sleep 5
-vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force commerce/0 zone1-100
 
 for i in 200 201 202; do
   CELL=zone1 TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/mysqlctl-up.sh
   SHARD=-80 CELL=zone1 KEYSPACE=customer TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/vttablet-up.sh
 done
-sleep 5
-vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force customer/-80 zone1-200
 
 for i in 300 301 302; do
   CELL=zone1 TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/mysqlctl-up.sh
   SHARD=80- CELL=zone1 KEYSPACE=customer TABLET_UID=$i ./scripts/vttablet-up.sh
 done
 sleep 5
-vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force customer/80- zone1-300
\ No newline at end of file
+
+# Wait for all the replica tablets to be in the serving state before initiating
+# InitShardPrimary. This is essential, since we want the RESTORE phase to be
+# complete before we start InitShardPrimary, otherwise we end up reading the
+# tablet type to RESTORE and do not set semi-sync, which leads to the primary
+# hanging on writes.
+totalTime=300
+for i in 101 201 301; do
+  while [ $totalTime -gt 0 ]; do
+    status=$(curl "http://$hostname:15$i/debug/status_details")
+    echo "$status" | grep "REPLICA: Serving" && break
+    totalTime=$((totalTime-1))
+    sleep 0.1
+  done
+done
+
+# Check that all the replica tablets have reached REPLICA: Serving state
+for i in 101 201 301; do
+  status=$(curl "http://$hostname:15$i/debug/status_details")
+  echo "$status" | grep "REPLICA: Serving" && continue
+  echo "tablet-$i did not reach REPLICA: Serving state. Exiting due to failure."
+  exit 1
+done
+
+vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force commerce/0 zone1-100
+vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force customer/-80 zone1-200
+vtctldclient InitShardPrimary --force customer/80- zone1-300