diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/action/TransportMonitoringMigrateAlertsActionTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/action/TransportMonitoringMigrateAlertsActionTests.java
index 6387cbc265f16..b55694a57360b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/action/TransportMonitoringMigrateAlertsActionTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/action/TransportMonitoringMigrateAlertsActionTests.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.monitoring.exporter.MonitoringTemplateUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.watcher.transport.actions.get.GetWatchAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.watcher.transport.actions.get.GetWatchRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.watcher.watch.Watch;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.monitoring.Monitoring;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.monitoring.MonitoringService;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.monitoring.exporter.ClusterAlertsUtil;
@@ -119,12 +120,7 @@ public void testLocalAlertsRemoval() throws Exception {
             assertAcked(client().admin().cluster().prepareUpdateSettings().setTransientSettings(exporterSettings));
 
             // ensure resources exist
-            assertBusy(() -> {
-                assertThat(indexExists(".monitoring-*"), is(true));
-                ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(".monitoring-*");
-                checkMonitoringTemplates();
-                assertWatchesExist(true);
-            });
+            ensureInitialLocalResources();
 
             // call migration api
             MonitoringMigrateAlertsResponse response = client().execute(MonitoringMigrateAlertsAction.INSTANCE,
@@ -158,12 +154,7 @@ public void testRepeatedLocalAlertsRemoval() throws Exception {
             assertAcked(client().admin().cluster().prepareUpdateSettings().setTransientSettings(exporterSettings));
 
             // ensure resources exist
-            assertBusy(() -> {
-                assertThat(indexExists(".monitoring-*"), is(true));
-                ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(".monitoring-*");
-                checkMonitoringTemplates();
-                assertWatchesExist(true);
-            });
+            ensureInitialLocalResources();
 
             // call migration api
             MonitoringMigrateAlertsResponse response = client().execute(MonitoringMigrateAlertsAction.INSTANCE,
@@ -463,6 +454,7 @@ public void testRemoteAlertsRemoteDisallowsWatcher() throws Exception {
     }
 
     private void ensureInitialLocalResources() throws Exception {
+        waitForWatcherIndices();
         assertBusy(() -> {
             assertThat(indexExists(".monitoring-*"), is(true));
             ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(".monitoring-*");
@@ -579,4 +571,9 @@ private void assertMonitorWatches(final MockWebServer webServer, final boolean r
             }
         }
     }
+
+    protected void waitForWatcherIndices() throws Exception {
+        awaitIndexExists(Watch.INDEX);
+        assertBusy(() -> ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(Watch.INDEX));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/test/MonitoringIntegTestCase.java b/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/test/MonitoringIntegTestCase.java
index a3303cbeaae37..0ec95c7232587 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/test/MonitoringIntegTestCase.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/monitoring/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/monitoring/test/MonitoringIntegTestCase.java
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ protected void waitForMonitoringIndices() throws Exception {
         assertBusy(this::ensureMonitoringIndicesYellow);
     }
 
-    private void awaitIndexExists(final String index) throws Exception {
+    protected void awaitIndexExists(final String index) throws Exception {
         assertBusy(() -> assertIndicesExists(index), 30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
     }