diff --git a/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore_test.go b/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore_test.go
index db5144039..e5314b80f 100644
--- a/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore_test.go
+++ b/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	datastore "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
+	dssync "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/sync"
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
 )
 
@@ -25,8 +27,6 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func testSplitStore(t *testing.T, cfg *Config) {
-	t.Helper()
-
 	chain := &mockChain{}
 	// genesis
 	genBlock := mock.MkBlock(nil, 0, 0)
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func testSplitStore(t *testing.T, cfg *Config) {
 	chain.push(genTs)
 
 	// the myriads of stores
-	ds := datastore.NewMapDatastore()
+	ds := dssync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
 	hot := blockstore.NewMemorySync()
 	cold := blockstore.NewMemorySync()
 
@@ -90,9 +90,16 @@ func testSplitStore(t *testing.T, cfg *Config) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	waitForCompaction := func() {
+		for atomic.LoadInt32(&ss.compacting) == 1 {
+			time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+
 	curTs := genTs
 	for i := 1; i < 5; i++ {
 		curTs = mkBlock(curTs, i)
+		waitForCompaction()
 	}
 
 	mkGarbageBlock(genTs, 1)
@@ -117,17 +124,17 @@ func testSplitStore(t *testing.T, cfg *Config) {
 	hotCnt := countBlocks(hot)
 
 	if coldCnt != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %d blocks, but got %d", 1, coldCnt)
+		t.Errorf("expected %d blocks, but got %d", 1, coldCnt)
 	}
 
-	if hotCnt != 4 {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %d blocks, but got %d", 4, hotCnt)
+	if hotCnt != 5 {
+		t.Errorf("expected %d blocks, but got %d", 5, hotCnt)
 	}
 
 	// trigger a compaction
 	for i := 5; i < 10; i++ {
 		curTs = mkBlock(curTs, i)
-		time.Sleep(time.Second)
+		waitForCompaction()
 	}
 
 	coldCnt = countBlocks(cold)
@@ -135,31 +142,31 @@ func testSplitStore(t *testing.T, cfg *Config) {
 
 	if !cfg.EnableFullCompaction {
 		if coldCnt != 5 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 5, coldCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 5, coldCnt)
 		}
 
 		if hotCnt != 5 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 5, hotCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 5, hotCnt)
 		}
 	}
 
 	if cfg.EnableFullCompaction && !cfg.EnableGC {
 		if coldCnt != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 3, coldCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 3, coldCnt)
 		}
 
 		if hotCnt != 7 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 7, hotCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 7, hotCnt)
 		}
 	}
 
 	if cfg.EnableFullCompaction && cfg.EnableGC {
 		if coldCnt != 2 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 2, coldCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d cold blocks, but got %d", 2, coldCnt)
 		}
 
 		if hotCnt != 7 {
-			t.Fatalf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 7, hotCnt)
+			t.Errorf("expected %d hot blocks, but got %d", 7, hotCnt)
 		}
 	}
 }