diff --git a/test/functional/ui/screen.lua b/test/functional/ui/screen.lua
index 4625ce8553..5b7891b114 100644
--- a/test/functional/ui/screen.lua
+++ b/test/functional/ui/screen.lua
@@ -787,7 +787,9 @@ function Screen:_wait(check, flags)
   end
   local eof = run_session(self._session, flags.request_cb, notification_cb, nil, minimal_timeout)
   if not did_flush then
-    err = 'no flush received'
+    if eof then
+      err = 'no flush received'
+    end
   elseif not checked then
     err = check()
     if not err and flags.unchanged then
@@ -800,6 +802,9 @@ function Screen:_wait(check, flags)
     did_minimal_timeout = true
     eof =
       run_session(self._session, flags.request_cb, notification_cb, nil, timeout - minimal_timeout)
+    if not did_flush then
+      err = 'no flush received'
+    end
   end
 
   local did_warn = false