diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndicesServiceTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndicesServiceTests.java
index 8f732f6af1b2f..a540cd203ef6b 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndicesServiceTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/IndicesServiceTests.java
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
@@ -271,60 +270,67 @@ public void testDeleteIndexStore() throws Exception {
         ensureGreen("test");
     }
 
-    // NORELEASE This test need to be adapted for replicated closed indices
-    @AwaitsFix(bugUrl = "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/33888")
     public void testPendingTasks() throws Exception {
-        IndicesService indicesService = getIndicesService();
-        IndexService test = createIndex("test");
+        final IndexService indexService = createIndex("test");
+        final Index index = indexService.index();
+        final IndexSettings indexSettings = indexService.getIndexSettings();
 
-        assertTrue(test.hasShard(0));
-        ShardPath path = test.getShardOrNull(0).shardPath();
-        assertTrue(test.getShardOrNull(0).routingEntry().started());
-        ShardPath shardPath = ShardPath.loadShardPath(logger, getNodeEnvironment(), new ShardId(test.index(), 0), test.getIndexSettings());
-        assertEquals(shardPath, path);
-        try {
-            indicesService.processPendingDeletes(test.index(), test.getIndexSettings(), new TimeValue(0, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS));
-            fail("can't get lock");
-        } catch (ShardLockObtainFailedException ex) {
+        final IndexShard indexShard = indexService.getShardOrNull(0);
+        assertNotNull(indexShard);
+        assertTrue(indexShard.routingEntry().started());
 
-        }
-        assertTrue(path.exists());
+        final ShardPath shardPath = indexShard.shardPath();
+        assertEquals(ShardPath.loadShardPath(logger, getNodeEnvironment(), indexShard.shardId(), indexSettings), shardPath);
+
+        final IndicesService indicesService = getIndicesService();
+        expectThrows(ShardLockObtainFailedException.class, () ->
+            indicesService.processPendingDeletes(index, indexSettings, TimeValue.timeValueMillis(0)));
+        assertTrue(shardPath.exists());
 
         int numPending = 1;
         if (randomBoolean()) {
-            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(test.index(), 0), test.getIndexSettings());
+            indicesService.addPendingDelete(indexShard.shardId(), indexSettings);
         } else {
             if (randomBoolean()) {
                 numPending++;
-                indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(test.index(), 0), test.getIndexSettings());
+                indicesService.addPendingDelete(indexShard.shardId(), indexSettings);
             }
-            indicesService.addPendingDelete(test.index(), test.getIndexSettings());
+            indicesService.addPendingDelete(index, indexSettings);
         }
+
         assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareClose("test"));
-        assertTrue(path.exists());
+        assertTrue(shardPath.exists());
+        ensureGreen("test");
 
-        assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(test.index()), numPending);
+        assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(index), numPending);
         assertTrue(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes());
 
-        // shard lock released... we can now delete
-        indicesService.processPendingDeletes(test.index(), test.getIndexSettings(), new TimeValue(0, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS));
-        assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(test.index()), 0);
-        assertFalse(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes());
-        assertFalse(path.exists());
+        expectThrows(ShardLockObtainFailedException.class, () ->
+            indicesService.processPendingDeletes(index, indexSettings, TimeValue.timeValueMillis(0)));
 
-        if (randomBoolean()) {
-            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(test.index(), 0), test.getIndexSettings());
-            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(test.index(), 1), test.getIndexSettings());
-            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId("bogus", "_na_", 1), test.getIndexSettings());
-            assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(test.index()), 2);
+        assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(index), numPending);
+        assertTrue(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes());
+
+        final boolean hasBogus = randomBoolean();
+        if (hasBogus) {
+            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(index, 0), indexSettings);
+            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId(index, 1), indexSettings);
+            indicesService.addPendingDelete(new ShardId("bogus", "_na_", 1), indexSettings);
+            assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(index), numPending + 2);
             assertTrue(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes());
-            // shard lock released... we can now delete
-            indicesService.processPendingDeletes(test.index(), test.getIndexSettings(), new TimeValue(0, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS));
-            assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(test.index()), 0);
-            assertTrue(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes()); // "bogus" index has not been removed
         }
-        assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareOpen("test").setTimeout(TimeValue.timeValueSeconds(1)));
 
+        assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareDelete("test"));
+        assertBusy(() -> {
+            try {
+                indicesService.processPendingDeletes(index, indexSettings, TimeValue.timeValueMillis(0));
+                assertEquals(indicesService.numPendingDeletes(index), 0);
+            } catch (final Exception e) {
+                fail(e.getMessage());
+            }
+        });
+        assertThat(indicesService.hasUncompletedPendingDeletes(), equalTo(hasBogus)); // "bogus" index has not been removed
+        assertFalse(shardPath.exists());
     }
 
     public void testVerifyIfIndexContentDeleted() throws Exception {