diff --git a/test/integration-tests/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS.units/reload-timeout.sh b/test/integration-tests/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS.units/reload-timeout.sh
index ac0f4d27a5..6ceecb99d4 100755
--- a/test/integration-tests/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS.units/reload-timeout.sh
+++ b/test/integration-tests/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS/TEST-80-NOTIFYACCESS.units/reload-timeout.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,20 @@ sync_in() {
 }
 
 wait_for_signal() {
+    local notify="${1:?}"
+    local p
+
     sleep infinity &
-    wait "$!" || :
+    p=$!
+
+    # Notify readiness after 'sleep' is running to avoid race
+    # condition where the SIGHUP is sent before 'sleep' is ready to
+    # receive it and we get stuck
+    if [ "$notify" -eq 1 ]; then
+        systemd-notify --ready
+    fi
+
+    wait "$p" || :
 }
 
 sighup_handler() {
@@ -24,17 +36,14 @@ trap sighup_handler SIGHUP
 
 export SYSTEMD_LOG_LEVEL=debug
 
-systemd-notify --ready
-
-wait_for_signal
+wait_for_signal 1
 systemd-notify --reloading
 
-wait_for_signal
+wait_for_signal 0
 systemd-notify --reloading
 sync_in ready
-systemd-notify --ready
 
-wait_for_signal
+wait_for_signal 1
 systemd-notify --reloading --ready
 
 exec sleep infinity