diff --git a/tests/regtest/regtest.sh b/tests/regtest/regtest.sh
index 19f420e1b..f85ffc172 100755
--- a/tests/regtest/regtest.sh
+++ b/tests/regtest/regtest.sh
@@ -578,11 +578,17 @@ if [[ $1 == "fw_fail_htlc" ]]; then
         exit 1
     fi
     $carol stop
-    $bob close_channel $chan_id2 --force
+    ctx_id=$($bob close_channel $chan_id2 --force)
     new_blocks 1
     sleep 1
     new_blocks 150 # cltv before bob can broadcast
-    sleep 5        # give bob time to process blocks and broadcast
+    # index of htlc
+    if [ $TEST_ANCHOR_CHANNELS = True ] ; then
+        output_index=2
+    else
+        output_index=0
+    fi
+    wait_until_spent $ctx_id $output_index
     new_blocks 1   # confirm 2nd stage.
     sleep 1
     new_blocks 100 # deep