diff --git a/modules/transport-netty4/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/discovery/Zen2RestApiIT.java b/modules/transport-netty4/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/discovery/Zen2RestApiIT.java
index 0a9e5f8dfc181..7944735dd4dfe 100644
--- a/modules/transport-netty4/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/discovery/Zen2RestApiIT.java
+++ b/modules/transport-netty4/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/discovery/Zen2RestApiIT.java
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ public Settings onNodeStopped(String nodeName) throws IOException {
     public void testClearVotingTombstonesNotWaitingForRemoval() throws Exception {
         internalCluster().setBootstrapMasterNodeIndex(2);
         List<String> nodes = internalCluster().startNodes(3);
+        ensureStableCluster(3);
         RestClient restClient = getRestClient();
         Response response = restClient.performRequest(new Request("POST", "/_cluster/voting_config_exclusions/" + nodes.get(2)));
         assertThat(response.getStatusLine().getStatusCode(), is(200));
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ public void testClearVotingTombstonesNotWaitingForRemoval() throws Exception {
     public void testClearVotingTombstonesWaitingForRemoval() throws Exception {
         internalCluster().setBootstrapMasterNodeIndex(2);
         List<String> nodes = internalCluster().startNodes(3);
+        ensureStableCluster(3);
         RestClient restClient = getRestClient();
         String nodeToWithdraw = nodes.get(randomIntBetween(0, 2));
         Response response = restClient.performRequest(new Request("POST", "/_cluster/voting_config_exclusions/" + nodeToWithdraw));
@@ -145,6 +147,7 @@ public void testClearVotingTombstonesWaitingForRemoval() throws Exception {
     public void testFailsOnUnknownNode() throws Exception {
         internalCluster().setBootstrapMasterNodeIndex(2);
         internalCluster().startNodes(3);
+        ensureStableCluster(3);
         RestClient restClient = getRestClient();
         try {
             restClient.performRequest(new Request("POST", "/_cluster/voting_config_exclusions/invalid"));
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/MinimumMasterNodesIT.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/MinimumMasterNodesIT.java
index ad1a0516e4430..7505aa584e7b6 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/MinimumMasterNodesIT.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/MinimumMasterNodesIT.java
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ public void testCannotCommitStateThreeNodes() throws Exception {
                 .build();
 
         internalCluster().startNodes(3, settings);
-        ensureGreen(); // ensure cluster state is recovered before we disrupt things
+        ensureStableCluster(3);
 
         final String master = internalCluster().getMasterName();
         Set<String> otherNodes = new HashSet<>(Arrays.asList(internalCluster().getNodeNames()));
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/ElasticsearchNodeCommandIT.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/ElasticsearchNodeCommandIT.java
index 9ce97895d0819..6fe7b65fad798 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/ElasticsearchNodeCommandIT.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/ElasticsearchNodeCommandIT.java
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@ public void testDetachAbortedByUser() throws IOException {
         expectThrows(() -> detachCluster(environment, 0, true), ElasticsearchNodeCommand.ABORTED_BY_USER_MSG);
     }
 
-    @AwaitsFix(bugUrl = "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/39220")
     public void test3MasterNodes2Failed() throws Exception {
         internalCluster().setBootstrapMasterNodeIndex(2);
         List<String> masterNodes = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -268,8 +267,12 @@ public void test3MasterNodes2Failed() throws Exception {
         logger.info("--> start 2nd and 3rd master-eligible nodes and bootstrap");
         masterNodes.addAll(internalCluster().startMasterOnlyNodes(2)); // node ordinals 2 and 3
 
+        logger.info("--> wait for all nodes to join the cluster");
+        ensureStableCluster(4);
+
         logger.info("--> create index test");
         createIndex("test");
+        ensureGreen("test");
 
         logger.info("--> stop 2nd and 3d master eligible node");
         internalCluster().stopRandomNode(InternalTestCluster.nameFilter(masterNodes.get(1)));