diff --git a/pkg/networkservice/chains/nsmgr/heal_test.go b/pkg/networkservice/chains/nsmgr/heal_test.go
index 509947151..459cd1134 100644
--- a/pkg/networkservice/chains/nsmgr/heal_test.go
+++ b/pkg/networkservice/chains/nsmgr/heal_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2020-2022 Doc.ai and/or its affiliates.
 //
-// Copyright (c) 2023 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+// Copyright (c) 2023-2024 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
 //
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 //
@@ -872,12 +872,17 @@ func TestNSMGR_RefreshFailed_ControlPlaneBroken(t *testing.T) {
 	// refresh interval in this test is expected to be 3 minutes and a few milliseconds
 	clk.Add(time.Second * 190)
 
-	// kill the forwarder during the healing Request (it is stopped by syncCh). Then continue - the healing process will fail.
-	for _, forwarder := range domain.Nodes[0].Forwarders {
+	// kill the forwarder during the refresh (it is stopped by syncCh). Then continue - the refresh will fail.
+	for idx := range domain.Nodes[0].Forwarders {
+		forwarder := domain.Nodes[0].Forwarders[idx]
 		forwarder.Cancel()
-		break
+		// wait until the forwarder dies
+		require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+			return sandbox.CheckURLFree(forwarder.URL)
+		}, timeout, tick)
 	}
 	syncCh <- struct{}{}
+	close(syncCh)
 
 	// create a new forwarder and allow the healing Request
 	forwarderReg := &registry.NetworkServiceEndpoint{
@@ -885,7 +890,6 @@ func TestNSMGR_RefreshFailed_ControlPlaneBroken(t *testing.T) {
 		NetworkServiceNames: []string{"forwarder"},
 	}
 	domain.Nodes[0].NewForwarder(ctx, forwarderReg, sandbox.GenerateTestToken)
-	syncCh <- struct{}{}
 
 	// wait till Request reached NSE
 	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
diff --git a/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client.go b/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client.go
index 191cc5fe9..79ffd56a5 100644
--- a/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client.go
+++ b/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2020 Cisco Systems, Inc.
+// Copyright (c) 2020-2024 Cisco Systems, Inc.
 //
-// Copyright (c) 2020-2022 Doc.ai and/or its affiliates.
+// Copyright (c) 2020-2024 Doc.ai and/or its affiliates.
 //
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 //
@@ -68,17 +68,15 @@ func (t *refreshClient) Request(ctx context.Context, request *networkservice.Net
 	store(ctx, metadata.IsClient(t), cancel)
 
 	eventFactory := begin.FromContext(ctx)
-	clockTime := clock.FromContext(ctx)
 	// Create the afterCh *outside* the go routine.  This must be done to avoid picking up a later 'now'
 	// from mockClock in testing
-	afterTicker := clockTime.Ticker(refreshAfter)
+	afterCh := clock.FromContext(ctx).After(refreshAfter)
 	go func() {
-		defer afterTicker.Stop()
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-cancelCtx.Done():
-				return
-			case <-afterTicker.C():
+		select {
+		case <-cancelCtx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-afterCh:
+			for cancelCtx.Err() == nil {
 				if err := <-eventFactory.Request(begin.CancelContext(cancelCtx)); err != nil {
 					logger.Warnf("refresh failed: %s", err.Error())
 					continue
diff --git a/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client_test.go b/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client_test.go
index 0a571ac12..78aa29a9f 100644
--- a/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/networkservice/common/refresh/client_test.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2020-2021 Doc.ai and/or its affiliates.
 //
+// Copyright (c) 2024 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+//
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -69,19 +71,19 @@ func testTokenFuncWithTimeout(clockTime clock.Clock, timeout time.Duration) toke
 	}
 }
 
-type captureTickerDuration struct {
+type captureAfterDuration struct {
 	*clockmock.Mock
 
-	tickerDuration time.Duration
+	afterDuration time.Duration
 }
 
-func (m *captureTickerDuration) Ticker(d time.Duration) clock.Ticker {
-	m.tickerDuration = d
-	return m.Mock.Ticker(d)
+func (m *captureAfterDuration) After(d time.Duration) <-chan time.Time {
+	m.afterDuration = d
+	return m.Mock.After(d)
 }
 
-func (m *captureTickerDuration) Reset(t time.Time) {
-	m.tickerDuration = 0
+func (m *captureAfterDuration) Reset(t time.Time) {
+	m.afterDuration = 0
 	m.Set(t)
 }
 
@@ -355,7 +357,7 @@ func TestRefreshClient_CalculatesShortestTokenTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 
 	timeNow := time.Date(2009, 11, 10, 23, 0, 0, 0, time.Local)
 
-	clockMock := captureTickerDuration{
+	clockMock := captureAfterDuration{
 		Mock: clockmock.New(ctx),
 	}
 
@@ -389,8 +391,8 @@ func TestRefreshClient_CalculatesShortestTokenTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		require.Less(t, clockMock.tickerDuration, testDataElement.ExpectedRefreshTimeout+timeoutDelta)
-		require.Greater(t, clockMock.tickerDuration, testDataElement.ExpectedRefreshTimeout-timeoutDelta)
+		require.Less(t, clockMock.afterDuration, testDataElement.ExpectedRefreshTimeout+timeoutDelta)
+		require.Greater(t, clockMock.afterDuration, testDataElement.ExpectedRefreshTimeout-timeoutDelta)
 	}
 
 	require.Equal(t, countClient.Requests(), len(testData))