diff --git a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/subscription_test.go b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/subscription_test.go
index 48251a3f7..b37780688 100644
--- a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/subscription_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/subscription_test.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -20,21 +19,36 @@ import (
 
 const testOverflow = false
 
-func wsReader(t *testing.T, ws *websocket.Conn, msgCh chan<- []byte, isFinished *atomic.Bool, readerToExitCh chan struct{}) {
-	for !isFinished.Load() {
-		err := ws.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
-		if isFinished.Load() {
-			require.Error(t, err)
-			break
+func wsReader(t *testing.T, ws *websocket.Conn, msgCh chan<- []byte, readerStopCh chan struct{}, readerToExitCh chan struct{}) {
+readLoop:
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-readerStopCh:
+			break readLoop
+		default:
+			err := ws.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
+			select {
+			case <-readerStopCh:
+				break readLoop
+			default:
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+
+			_, body, err := ws.ReadMessage()
+			select {
+			case <-readerStopCh:
+				break readLoop
+			default:
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+
+			select {
+			case msgCh <- body:
+			case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
+				t.Log("exiting wsReader loop: unable to send response to receiver")
+				break readLoop
+			}
 		}
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		_, body, err := ws.ReadMessage()
-		if isFinished.Load() {
-			require.Error(t, err)
-			break
-		}
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		msgCh <- body
 	}
 	close(readerToExitCh)
 }
@@ -69,14 +83,22 @@ func initCleanServerAndWSClient(t *testing.T, startNetworkServer ...bool) (*core
 	// Use buffered channel to read server's messages and then read expected
 	// responses from it.
 	respMsgs := make(chan []byte, 16)
-	finishedFlag := &atomic.Bool{}
+	readerStopCh := make(chan struct{})
 	readerToExitCh := make(chan struct{})
-	go wsReader(t, ws, respMsgs, finishedFlag, readerToExitCh)
+	go wsReader(t, ws, respMsgs, readerStopCh, readerToExitCh)
 	if len(startNetworkServer) != 0 && startNetworkServer[0] {
 		rpcSrv.coreServer.Start()
 	}
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		finishedFlag.Store(true)
+	drainLoop:
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-respMsgs:
+			default:
+				break drainLoop
+			}
+		}
+		close(readerStopCh)
 		<-readerToExitCh
 		ws.Close()
 		if len(startNetworkServer) != 0 && startNetworkServer[0] {