diff --git a/bin/tests/system/mirror/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/mirror/tests.sh
index 77a88f581f..58a634f820 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/mirror/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/mirror/tests.sh
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ n=$((n + 1))
 echo_i "checking that an AXFR of an updated, correctly signed mirror zone is accepted ($n)"
 ret=0
 nextpart ns3/named.run >/dev/null
+sleep 1
 cat ns2/verify-axfr.db.good.signed >ns2/verify-axfr.db.signed
 reload_zone verify-axfr ${UPDATED_SERIAL_GOOD}
 $RNDCCMD 10.53.0.3 retransfer verify-axfr >/dev/null 2>&1