diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/JoinStatusTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/JoinStatusTests.java
index cf67ecc02b16d..36161da21b898 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/JoinStatusTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/coordination/JoinStatusTests.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ private JoinStatus mutateJoinStatus(JoinStatus originalJoinStatus) {
                 return new JoinStatus(
                     originalJoinStatus.remoteNode(),
                     originalJoinStatus.term(),
-                    randomAlphaOfLengthBetween(0, 30),
+                    randomValueOtherThan(originalJoinStatus.message(), () -> randomAlphaOfLengthBetween(0, 30)),
                     originalJoinStatus.age()
                 );
             }
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ private JoinStatus mutateJoinStatus(JoinStatus originalJoinStatus) {
                 return new JoinStatus(
                     originalJoinStatus.remoteNode(),
                     originalJoinStatus.term(),
-                    randomAlphaOfLength(30),
-                    randomNonNegativeTimeValue()
+                    originalJoinStatus.message(),
+                    randomValueOtherThan(originalJoinStatus.age(), this::randomNonNegativeTimeValue)
                 );
             }
             case 4 -> {