diff --git a/hoptimator-operator/src/test/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/operator/PipelineOperatorAppTest.java b/hoptimator-operator/src/test/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/operator/PipelineOperatorAppTest.java
index bca5fbbc..3e8b1d1e 100644
--- a/hoptimator-operator/src/test/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/operator/PipelineOperatorAppTest.java
+++ b/hoptimator-operator/src/test/java/com/linkedin/hoptimator/operator/PipelineOperatorAppTest.java
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@
 import io.kubernetes.client.extended.controller.ControllerManager;
 import io.kubernetes.client.informer.SharedInformerFactory;
 import java.time.Duration;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
@@ -136,7 +139,7 @@ void stopShutsDownControllerManagerAndUnblocksAwaitTermination() throws Exceptio
       }
     }, "test-await-waiter");
     waiter.start();
-    Thread.sleep(50);
+    awaitState(waiter, Thread.State.WAITING, Thread.State.TIMED_WAITING);
     assertTrue(waiter.isAlive(), "awaitTermination() should still be blocking");
 
     app.stop(Duration.ofSeconds(2));
@@ -279,8 +282,10 @@ ControllerManager newControllerManager(SharedInformerFactory factory, Controller
     };
 
     app.start(List.of(exit1, exit2));
+    // awaitTermination returns only after interactiveFakeManager.run() returns, which itself
+    // waits for every wrapped controller's run() (including the finally block that may invoke
+    // reportFailure) to complete — so no extra wait is needed here.
     app.awaitTermination();
-    Thread.sleep(50); // let any straggling wrappers finish
 
     assertEquals(1, handlerCalls.get(),
         "failure handler should fire at most once even when multiple controllers exit");
@@ -289,7 +294,10 @@ ControllerManager newControllerManager(SharedInformerFactory factory, Controller
   @Test
   void stopSuppressesFailureHandler() throws Exception {
     // When stop() is called, controller wrappers fire on the way out — but the handler must
-    // not be invoked because the exit was intentional.
+    // not be invoked because the exit was intentional. We tie the controller's release to the
+    // fake manager's shutdown() call so the ordering is deterministic:
+    //   stop() -> stopRequested=true -> manager.shutdown() -> countDown -> controller returns
+    //          -> wrapper finally sees stopRequested=true -> handler suppressed.
     AtomicInteger handlerCalls = new AtomicInteger(0);
     Consumer<Throwable> handler = cause -> handlerCalls.incrementAndGet();
 
@@ -303,18 +311,17 @@ void stopSuppressesFailureHandler() throws Exception {
     TestablePipelineOperatorApp app = new TestablePipelineOperatorApp(context, null, handler) {
       @Override
       ControllerManager newControllerManager(SharedInformerFactory factory, Controller[] controllers) {
-        return interactiveFakeManager(controllers);
+        ControllerManager manager = interactiveFakeManager(controllers);
+        doAnswer(inv -> {
+          holdLongRunning.countDown();
+          return null;
+        }).when(manager).shutdown();
+        return manager;
       }
     };
 
     app.start(List.of(longRunning));
-    Thread.sleep(50); // let the controller enter run()
-
-    // Release the long-running controller from a separate thread so it can exit cleanly
-    // after stop() flips stopRequested.
-    new Thread(holdLongRunning::countDown).start();
     app.stop(Duration.ofSeconds(2));
-    Thread.sleep(50); // let the wrapper's finally block observe stopRequested
 
     assertEquals(0, handlerCalls.get(),
         "failure handler must not fire during intentional stop");
@@ -322,6 +329,25 @@ ControllerManager newControllerManager(SharedInformerFactory factory, Controller
 
   // --- Helpers ---
 
+  /**
+   * Polls until {@code thread} reaches one of the supplied states (or dies). Avoids fixed sleeps
+   * when a test needs to know the thread has actually entered a blocking call. Fails the test if
+   * the wait exceeds a few seconds.
+   */
+  private static void awaitState(Thread thread, Thread.State... expected) throws InterruptedException {
+    Set<Thread.State> wanted = new HashSet<>(Arrays.asList(expected));
+    long deadline = System.currentTimeMillis() + 2_000;
+    while (System.currentTimeMillis() < deadline) {
+      Thread.State s = thread.getState();
+      if (s == Thread.State.TERMINATED || wanted.contains(s)) {
+        return;
+      }
+      Thread.sleep(5);
+    }
+    throw new AssertionError("Thread " + thread.getName() + " never reached " + wanted
+        + " (last state " + thread.getState() + ")");
+  }
+
   /**
    * Builds a fake {@link ControllerManager} whose {@code run()} signals it entered, then blocks on
    * {@code shutdownSignal} until released. {@code shutdown()} releases the signal so {@code run()}