diff --git a/test/fuse_failover/framework_test.go b/test/fuse_failover/framework_test.go
index 28c26a250..5ab1338d8 100644
--- a/test/fuse_failover/framework_test.go
+++ b/test/fuse_failover/framework_test.go
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ func startFailoverCluster(t testing.TB, numVolumes, numMounts int) *failoverClus
 		require.NoError(t, c.waitForMount(mp, 30*time.Second),
 			"mount %d not ready\n%s", i, c.tailLog(fmt.Sprintf("mount%d", i)))
 	}
+	require.NoError(t, c.WaitForVolumeServers(60*time.Second))
 	return c
 }
 
@@ -344,6 +345,62 @@ func (c *failoverCluster) WaitForHolders(vid uint32, count int, timeout time.Dur
 	}
 }
 
+// WaitForVolumeServers blocks until the master's topology lists every volume
+// server. A volume server accepts connections well before the master knows it
+// exists: a lone master only elects itself once its bootstrap check expires,
+// and heartbeats sent before that are refused and retried with backoff, so
+// registration lands seconds after the process is up. Until it does the
+// topology has no data node at all, an assign fails with "no free volumes
+// left", and the mount reports that as ENOSPC instead of retrying.
+func (c *failoverCluster) WaitForVolumeServers(timeout time.Duration) error {
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(timeout)
+	for {
+		registered := c.registeredVolumeServers()
+		var missing []string
+		for i := range c.volumePorts {
+			if address := c.VolumeServerAddress(i); !registered[address] {
+				missing = append(missing, address)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(missing) == 0 {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("volume servers %v not registered with the master within %v\n%s",
+				missing, timeout, c.MasterGet("/dir/status?pretty=y"))
+		}
+		time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}
+
+// registeredVolumeServers is the set of volume server addresses the master
+// currently holds in its topology.
+func (c *failoverCluster) registeredVolumeServers() map[string]bool {
+	var status struct {
+		Topology struct {
+			DataCenters []struct {
+				Racks []struct {
+					DataNodes []struct {
+						Url string `json:"Url"`
+					} `json:"DataNodes"`
+				} `json:"Racks"`
+			} `json:"DataCenters"`
+		} `json:"Topology"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(c.MasterGet("/dir/status")), &status); err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	registered := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, dc := range status.Topology.DataCenters {
+		for _, rack := range dc.Racks {
+			for _, dn := range rack.DataNodes {
+				registered[dn.Url] = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return registered
+}
+
 // volumeIndexOf maps a server address back to its index, or -1.
 func (c *failoverCluster) volumeIndexOf(address string) int {
 	for i := range c.volumePorts {
diff --git a/test/fuse_failover/volume_failover_test.go b/test/fuse_failover/volume_failover_test.go
index 60dc5b7cf..f5208e0ed 100644
--- a/test/fuse_failover/volume_failover_test.go
+++ b/test/fuse_failover/volume_failover_test.go
@@ -190,7 +190,9 @@ func TestReadWithVolumeServerDown(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Logf("read %s (held by volume%d) with volume%d down in %v", name, victim, victim, elapsed)
 
 		require.NoError(t, c.StartVolume(victim))
-		time.Sleep(3 * time.Second) // let the master see the heartbeat again
+		// The next iteration picks its victim from the master's placement view,
+		// so wait for the restarted server to be in it again.
+		require.NoError(t, c.WaitForVolumeServers(60*time.Second))
 	}
 }