diff --git a/test/boost/sstable_datafile_test.cc b/test/boost/sstable_datafile_test.cc
index 6b3f7b8c52..f170c6cb37 100644
--- a/test/boost/sstable_datafile_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/sstable_datafile_test.cc
@@ -5678,7 +5678,7 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(sstable_run_based_compaction_test) {
 
         auto tokens = token_generation_for_current_shard(16);
         std::unordered_set<shared_sstable> sstables;
-        std::optional<utils::observer<sstable&>> observer;
+        std::vector<utils::observer<sstable&>> observers;
         sstables::sstable_run_based_compaction_strategy_for_tests cs;
 
         auto do_replace = [&] (const std::vector<shared_sstable>& old_sstables, const std::vector<shared_sstable>& new_sstables) {
@@ -5701,15 +5701,20 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(sstable_run_based_compaction_test) {
             // check that sstable replacement follows token order
             BOOST_REQUIRE(*expected_sst == old_sstables.front()->generation());
             expected_sst++;
-            // check that previously released sstable was already closed
-            BOOST_REQUIRE(*closed_sstables_tracker == old_sstables.front()->generation());
+            // check that previously released sstables were already closed
+            if (old_sstables.front()->generation() % 4 == 0) {
+                // Due to performance reasons, sstables are not released immediately, but in batches.
+                // At the time of writing, mutation_reader_merger releases it's sstable references
+                // in batches of 4. That's why we only perform this check every 4th sstable. 
+                BOOST_REQUIRE(*closed_sstables_tracker == old_sstables.front()->generation());
+            }
 
             do_replace(old_sstables, new_sstables);
 
-            observer = old_sstables.front()->add_on_closed_handler([&] (sstable& sst) {
+            observers.push_back(old_sstables.front()->add_on_closed_handler([&] (sstable& sst) {
                 testlog.info("Closing sstable of generation {}", sst.generation());
                 closed_sstables_tracker++;
-            });
+            }));
 
             testlog.info("Removing sstable of generation {}, refcnt: {}", old_sstables.front()->generation(), old_sstables.front().use_count());
         };
@@ -5745,7 +5750,6 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(sstable_run_based_compaction_test) {
             };
 
             auto result = compact(std::move(desc.sstables), replacer);
-            observer.reset();
             BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(expected_output, result.size());
             BOOST_REQUIRE(expected_sst == sstable_run.end());
             return result;