diff --git a/bin/tests/system/lwresd/clean.sh b/bin/tests/system/lwresd/clean.sh
index 8eeb1583f1..c6ab8f19ff 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/lwresd/clean.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/lwresd/clean.sh
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@
 #
 rm -f */named.memstats
 rm -f dig.out
+rm -f lwresd1/lwresd.run.resolv
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/lwresd/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/lwresd/tests.sh
index 6c05333309..37bac14c2d 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/lwresd/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/lwresd/tests.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
 echo "I:using resolv.conf"
 ret=0
+for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 
+do
+	grep ' running$' lwresd1/lwresd.run > /dev/null && break
+	sleep 1
+done
 ./lwtest || ret=1
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then
 	echo "I:failed"
@@ -48,11 +53,17 @@ status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
 $PERL $SYSTEMTESTTOP/stop.pl . lwresd1
 
+mv lwresd1/lwresd.run lwresd1/lwresd.run.resolv
+
 $PERL $SYSTEMTESTTOP/start.pl . lwresd1 -- "-m record,size,mctx -c lwresd.conf -d 99 -g"
 
 echo "I:using lwresd.conf"
 ret=0
-sleep 1 # allow lwresd to finish starting.
+for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 
+do
+	grep ' running$' lwresd1/lwresd.run > /dev/null && break
+	sleep 1
+done
 ./lwtest || ret=1
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then
 	echo "I:failed"