diff --git a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/Async.java b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/Async.java
index 17bc078cd88..b3b04d5b743 100644
--- a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/Async.java
+++ b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/Async.java
@@ -60,6 +60,22 @@ static <T> CompletableFuture<T> invokeStatic(Supplier<T> supplier) {
         return create().invoke(supplier);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Convenience method to avoid having to call {@link #create()}. Also accepts
+     * an {@code onStart} future to inform of async task startup.
+     *
+     * @param supplier supplier of value (or a method reference)
+     * @param onStart future completed when async task starts
+     * @param <T> type of returned value
+     * @return a future that is a "promise" of the future result
+     */
+    static <T> CompletableFuture<T> invokeStatic(Supplier<T> supplier, CompletableFuture<Async> onStart) {
+        return new Builder()
+                .onStart(onStart)
+                .build()
+                .invoke(supplier);
+    }
+
     /**
      * A new builder to build a customized {@link Async} instance.
      * @return a new builder
@@ -73,6 +89,7 @@ static Builder builder() {
      */
     class Builder implements io.helidon.common.Builder<Builder, Async> {
         private LazyValue<? extends ExecutorService> executor = FaultTolerance.executor();
+        private CompletableFuture<Async> onStart;
 
         private Builder() {
         }
@@ -104,8 +121,23 @@ public Builder executor(ExecutorService executor) {
             return this;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Configure future that shall be completed when async task starts.
+         *
+         * @param onStart future completed when async task starts
+         * @return updated builder instance
+         */
+        public Builder onStart(CompletableFuture<Async> onStart) {
+            this.onStart = onStart;
+            return this;
+        }
+
         LazyValue<? extends ExecutorService> executor() {
             return executor;
         }
+
+        CompletableFuture<Async> onStart() {
+            return onStart;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/AsyncImpl.java b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/AsyncImpl.java
index 24db300d475..ffed5e097ee 100644
--- a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/AsyncImpl.java
+++ b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/main/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/AsyncImpl.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
  */
 class AsyncImpl implements Async {
     private final LazyValue<? extends ExecutorService> executor;
+    private final CompletableFuture<Async> onStart;
 
     AsyncImpl() {
         this(Async.builder());
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ class AsyncImpl implements Async {
 
     AsyncImpl(Builder builder) {
         this.executor = builder.executor();
+        this.onStart = builder.onStart();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -54,6 +56,9 @@ public boolean cancel(boolean mayInterruptIfRunning) {
         Future<?> future = executor.get().submit(() -> {
             Thread thread = Thread.currentThread();
             thread.setName(thread.getName() + ": async");
+            if (onStart != null) {
+                onStart.complete(this);
+            }
             try {
                 T t = supplier.get();
                 result.complete(t);
diff --git a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/test/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/BulkheadTest.java b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/test/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/BulkheadTest.java
index d2aac3bd65a..d28560a916d 100644
--- a/nima/fault-tolerance/src/test/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/BulkheadTest.java
+++ b/nima/fault-tolerance/src/test/java/io/helidon/nima/faulttolerance/BulkheadTest.java
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@
 import io.helidon.logging.common.LogConfig;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeAll;
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.Disabled;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 import static java.lang.System.Logger.Level.INFO;
@@ -42,24 +40,18 @@
 class BulkheadTest {
     private static final System.Logger LOGGER = System.getLogger(BulkheadTest.class.getName());
 
-    private static final long WAIT_TIMEOUT_MILLIS = 10000;
-
-    private CountDownLatch enqueuedSubmitted;
+    private static final long WAIT_TIMEOUT_MILLIS = 5000;
 
     @BeforeAll
     static void setupTest() {
         LogConfig.configureRuntime();
     }
 
-    @BeforeEach
-    void resetLatch() {
-        enqueuedSubmitted = new CountDownLatch(1);
-    }
-
-    @Disabled
+    @Test
     void testBulkhead() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException {
         // Create bulkhead of 1 with queue length 1
         String name = "unit:testBulkhead";
+        CountDownLatch enqueuedSubmitted = new CountDownLatch(1);
         Bulkhead bulkhead = Bulkhead.builder()
                 .limit(1)
                 .queueLength(1)
@@ -87,15 +79,19 @@ public <T> void enqueueing(Supplier<? extends T> supplier) {
         CompletableFuture<Integer> enqueuedResult = Async.invokeStatic(
                 () -> bulkhead.invoke(enqueued::run));
 
-        // Wait until previous task is "likely" queued
+        // Wait until previous task is queued
         if (!enqueuedSubmitted.await(WAIT_TIMEOUT_MILLIS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)) {
             fail("Task enqueued never submitted");
         }
+        assertEventually(() -> bulkhead.stats().waitingQueueSize() == 1, WAIT_TIMEOUT_MILLIS);
 
         // Submit new task that should be rejected
         Task rejected = new Task(2);
+        CompletableFuture<Async> asyncRejected = new CompletableFuture<>();
         CompletableFuture<Integer> rejectedResult = Async.invokeStatic(
-                () -> bulkhead.invoke(rejected::run));
+                () -> bulkhead.invoke(rejected::run),
+                asyncRejected);
+        asyncRejected.get();        // waits for async to start
 
         assertThat(inProgress.isStarted(), is(true));
         assertThat(inProgress.isBlocked(), is(true));
@@ -258,4 +254,15 @@ CompletableFuture<?> future() {
             return future;
         }
     }
+
+    private static void assertEventually(Supplier<Boolean> predicate, long millis) throws InterruptedException {
+        long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
+        do {
+            if (predicate.get()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            Thread.sleep(100);
+        } while (System.currentTimeMillis() - start <= millis);
+        fail("Predicate failed after " + millis + " milliseconds");
+    }
 }