diff --git a/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_topology_ops.py b/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_topology_ops.py
index 25116b1689..5583a739cd 100644
--- a/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_topology_ops.py
+++ b/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_topology_ops.py
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ async def test_topology_ops(request, manager: ManagerClient, tablets_enabled: bo
     await manager.server_stop_gracefully(servers[0].server_id)
     await manager.server_start(servers[0].server_id)
 
-    await wait_for_cql_and_get_hosts(manager.cql, await manager.running_servers(), time.time() + 60)
-    cql = await reconnect_driver(manager)
-    # FIXME: disabled as a workaround for #15935, #15924
-    # We need to re-enable once these issues are fixed.
-    #finish_writes = await start_writes(cql)
-
     logger.info("Bootstrapping other nodes")
     servers += await manager.servers_add(3, config=cfg)
 
+    await wait_for_cql_and_get_hosts(manager.cql, servers, time.time() + 60)
+    cql = await reconnect_driver(manager)
+    # FIXME: we disable background writes with tablets enabled because the test fails due to #17025.
+    # We need to re-enable them once this issue is fixed (by removing `if` here and above `await finish_writes()`).
+    finish_writes = await start_writes(cql) if not tablets_enabled else None
+
     logger.info(f"Decommissioning node {servers[0]}")
     await manager.decommission_node(servers[0].server_id)
     await check_token_ring_and_group0_consistency(manager)
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ async def test_topology_ops(request, manager: ManagerClient, tablets_enabled: bo
     servers = servers[1:]
 
     logger.info("Checking results of the background writes")
-    #await finish_writes()
+    if not tablets_enabled:
+        await finish_writes()
 
     for server in servers:
         await check_node_log_for_failed_mutations(manager, server)