diff --git a/tests/cts/net/src/android/net/cts/EthernetManagerTest.kt b/tests/cts/net/src/android/net/cts/EthernetManagerTest.kt
index a2d58ebf60..2e5ea8b1dd 100644
--- a/tests/cts/net/src/android/net/cts/EthernetManagerTest.kt
+++ b/tests/cts/net/src/android/net/cts/EthernetManagerTest.kt
@@ -618,7 +618,12 @@ class EthernetManagerTest {
         // see aosp/2123900.
         try {
             // assumeException does not exist.
-            requestTetheredInterface().expectOnAvailable(NO_CALLBACK_TIMEOUT_MS)
+            val listener = requestTetheredInterface()
+            // Force requestTetheredInterface() to be processed before proceeding by calling
+            // setEthernetEnabled() which always waits on a callback and is guaranteed to be
+            // processed after requestTetheredInterface().
+            setEthernetEnabled(ethernetEnabled)
+            listener.expectOnAvailable(0)
             // interface used for tethering is available, throw an assumption error.
             assumeTrue(false)
         } catch (e: TimeoutException) {