diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/chunked_test.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/chunked_test.go
index 5e0d74c..c034965 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/chunked_test.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/chunked_test.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ func TestAChunkedSeatAnswerIsReceivedByTheRunnerAndHandedWhole(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	defer stop()
+	holder.Flush() // the bus holds the verb's subscription before it is asked: the asker is another connection
 	got, err := asker.AskAsChunked("mesh-build-go", "seat:mesh-catalog.input", map[string]any{"digest": "d1"})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ func TestABundlesChunkedAnswerIsSentByTheRunner(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	defer stop()
+	holder.Flush() // the bus holds the verb's subscription before it is asked: the asker is another connection
 	got, err := asker.AskAsChunked("mesh-delivery-indexer", "seat:node-build-go.output@anchor", map[string]any{"ask": "a1"})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)