diff --git a/test/cluster/test_tablets_merge.py b/test/cluster/test_tablets_merge.py
index 5ba2f98d50..6f297d2324 100644
--- a/test/cluster/test_tablets_merge.py
+++ b/test/cluster/test_tablets_merge.py
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ async def test_tablet_merge_cross_rack_migrations(manager: ManagerClient, racks)
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 @pytest.mark.skip_mode(mode='release', reason='error injections are not supported in release mode')
 async def test_tablet_split_merge_with_many_tables(build_mode: str, manager: ManagerClient, racks = 2):
-    cmdline = ['--smp', '4', '-m', '2G', '--target-tablet-size-in-bytes', '30000', '--max-task-backlog', '200',]
+    cmdline = ['--smp', '4', '-m', '2G', '--target-tablet-size-in-bytes', '30000', '--max-task-backlog', '200', '--logger-log-level', 'load_balancer=debug']
     config = {'tablet_load_stats_refresh_interval_in_seconds': 1}
 
     servers = []
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ async def test_tablet_split_merge_with_many_tables(build_mode: str, manager: Man
     cql = manager.get_cql()
     ks = await create_new_test_keyspace(cql, f"WITH replication = {{'class': 'NetworkTopologyStrategy', 'replication_factor': {rf}}} AND tablets = {{'initial': 1}}")
     await cql.run_async(f"CREATE TABLE {ks}.test (pk int PRIMARY KEY, c blob) WITH compression = {{'sstable_compression': ''}};")
-    num_tables = 200 if build_mode != 'debug' else 20
+    num_tables = 200 if build_mode != 'debug' else 5
     await asyncio.gather(*[cql.run_async(f"CREATE TABLE {ks}.test{i} (pk int PRIMARY KEY, c blob);") for i in range(1, num_tables)])
 
     async def check_logs(when):