diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 7df55c85a9..d1177f6f3c 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -6035,10 +6035,12 @@ future<raft_topology_cmd_result> storage_service::raft_topology_cmd_handler(raft
                                 version, current_version)));
                     }
 
+                    rtlogger.info("raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain version {}: waiting for stale token metadata versions to be released", version);
                     co_await ss._shared_token_metadata.stale_versions_in_use();
+                    rtlogger.info("raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain version {}: stale versions released, draining closing sessions", version);
                     co_await get_topology_session_manager().drain_closing_sessions();
 
-                    rtlogger.info("raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain done");
+                    rtlogger.info("raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain version {}: done", version);
                 });
 
                 co_await utils::get_local_injector().inject("raft_topology_barrier_and_drain_fail", [this] (auto& handler) -> future<> {
diff --git a/test/cluster/test_alternator.py b/test/cluster/test_alternator.py
index 1c9cc1d341..06622cd40c 100644
--- a/test/cluster/test_alternator.py
+++ b/test/cluster/test_alternator.py
@@ -1156,7 +1156,7 @@ async def test_alternator_invalid_shard_for_lwt(manager: ManagerClient):
     # The next barrier must be for the write_both_read_new, we need a guarantee
     # that the src_shard observed it
     logger.info("Waiting for the next barrier")
-    await log.wait_for(re.escape(f"[shard {src_shard}: gms] raft_topology - raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain done"),
+    await log.wait_for(f"\\[shard {src_shard}: gms\\] raft_topology - raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain.*done",
                        from_mark=m)
 
     # Now we have a guarantee that a new barrier succeeded on the src_shard,
diff --git a/test/cluster/test_tablets_lwt.py b/test/cluster/test_tablets_lwt.py
index 7d6e9a085b..aec7508f76 100644
--- a/test/cluster/test_tablets_lwt.py
+++ b/test/cluster/test_tablets_lwt.py
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ async def test_tablets_merge_waits_for_lwt(manager: ManagerClient):
         logger.info("Wait for the global barrier to start draining on shard0")
         await log0.wait_for("\\[shard 0: gms\\] raft_topology - Got raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain", from_mark=m)
         # Just to confirm that the guard still holds the erm
-        matches = await log0.grep("\\[shard 0: gms\\] raft_topology - raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain done", from_mark=m)
+        matches = await log0.grep("\\[shard 0: gms\\] raft_topology - raft_topology_cmd::barrier_and_drain.*done", from_mark=m)
         assert len(matches) == 0
 
         # Before the fix, the tablet migration global barrier did not wait for the LWT operation.