diff --git a/bin/tests/system/dnssec/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/dnssec/tests.sh
index 9368f9b912..d45decdd87 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/dnssec/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/dnssec/tests.sh
@@ -57,16 +57,18 @@ showprivate () {
 }
 
 # check that signing records are marked as complete
-checkprivate () {
-    ret=0
-    x=$(showprivate "$@")
-    echo "$x" | grep incomplete >/dev/null 2>&1 && ret=1
-    [ "$ret" -eq 1 ] && {
-        echo "$x"
-        echo_i "failed"
+checkprivate () { (
+    for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; do
+        ret=0
+        showprivate "$@" | grep incomplete >/dev/null 2>&1 && { ret=1; sleep 1; continue; }
+        break
+    done
+    [ $ret -eq 1 ] && {
+        echo_d "$1 signing incomplete"
+        return 1
     }
-    return "$ret"
-}
+    return 0
+) }
 
 # check that a zone file is raw format, version 0
 israw0 () {