diff --git a/distributed/utils_test.py b/distributed/utils_test.py
index 3b46a9b6a2a..ad574f5a46f 100644
--- a/distributed/utils_test.py
+++ b/distributed/utils_test.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 from distributed.nanny import Nanny
 from distributed.node import ServerNode
 from distributed.proctitle import enable_proctitle_on_children
+from distributed.profile import wait_profiler
 from distributed.protocol import deserialize
 from distributed.security import Security
 from distributed.utils import (
@@ -1782,7 +1783,9 @@ def check_instances():
         sleep(0.1)
         assert time() < start + 10
 
-    _global_clients.clear()
+    wait_profiler()
+    gc.collect()
+    assert not Nanny._instances
 
     for w in Worker._instances:
         with suppress(RuntimeError):  # closed IOLoop
@@ -1807,18 +1810,12 @@ def check_instances():
         Comm._instances.clear()
         raise ValueError("Unclosed Comms", L)
 
-    assert all(
-        n.status in {Status.closed, Status.init, Status.failed}
-        for n in Nanny._instances
-    ), {n: n.status for n in Nanny._instances}
-
     # assert not list(SpecCluster._instances)  # TODO
     assert all(c.status == Status.closed for c in SpecCluster._instances), list(
         SpecCluster._instances
     )
     SpecCluster._instances.clear()
 
-    Nanny._instances.clear()
     DequeHandler.clear_all_instances()