diff --git a/tests/test_xpub_manual.cpp b/tests/test_xpub_manual.cpp
index 012f765d..b9db2bc2 100644
--- a/tests/test_xpub_manual.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_xpub_manual.cpp
@@ -297,11 +297,6 @@ void test_missing_subscriptions ()
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub1, my_endpoint_backend));
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub1, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic1, 1));
 
-    // second subscriber
-    void *sub2 = test_context_socket (ZMQ_SUB);
-    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub2, my_endpoint_backend));
-    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub2, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic2, 1));
-
     // wait
     msleep (SETTLE_TIME);
 
@@ -312,6 +307,14 @@ void test_missing_subscriptions ()
       zmq_setsockopt (xpub_proxy, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic1, 1));
     send_array_expect_success (xsub_proxy, subscription1, 0);
 
+    // second subscriber
+    void *sub2 = test_context_socket (ZMQ_SUB);
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub2, my_endpoint_backend));
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub2, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic2, 1));
+
+    // wait
+    msleep (SETTLE_TIME);
+
     const uint8_t subscription2[] = {1, static_cast<uint8_t> (topic2[0])};
     recv_array_expect_success (xpub_proxy, subscription2, ZMQ_DONTWAIT);
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (
diff --git a/tests/test_xpub_manual_last_value.cpp b/tests/test_xpub_manual_last_value.cpp
index c21be0d1..733e34ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_xpub_manual_last_value.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_xpub_manual_last_value.cpp
@@ -303,11 +303,6 @@ void test_missing_subscriptions ()
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub1, my_endpoint_backend));
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub1, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic1, 1));
 
-    // second subscriber
-    void *sub2 = test_context_socket (ZMQ_SUB);
-    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub2, my_endpoint_backend));
-    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub2, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic2, 1));
-
     // wait
     msleep (SETTLE_TIME);
 
@@ -318,6 +313,15 @@ void test_missing_subscriptions ()
       zmq_setsockopt (xpub_proxy, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic1, 1));
     send_array_expect_success (xsub_proxy, subscription1, 0);
 
+    // second subscriber
+    void *sub2 = test_context_socket (ZMQ_SUB);
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_connect (sub2, my_endpoint_backend));
+    TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (zmq_setsockopt (sub2, ZMQ_SUBSCRIBE, topic2, 1));
+
+    // wait
+    msleep (SETTLE_TIME);
+
+    // proxy now reroutes and confirms subscriptions
     const uint8_t subscription2[] = {1, static_cast<uint8_t> (topic2[0])};
     recv_array_expect_success (xpub_proxy, subscription2, ZMQ_DONTWAIT);
     TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS_ERRNO (