diff --git a/test/system/500-networking.bats b/test/system/500-networking.bats
index 419d325b0c..495c7948b3 100644
--- a/test/system/500-networking.bats
+++ b/test/system/500-networking.bats
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ load helpers
                    $IMAGE nc -l -n -v -p $myport
         cid="$output"
 
-        wait_for_port 127.0.0.1 $myport
+        wait_for_output "listening on .*:$myport .*" $cid
 
         # emit random string, and check it
         teststring=$(random_string 30)
diff --git a/test/system/helpers.bash b/test/system/helpers.bash
index 02fd7252ca..bd9471acec 100644
--- a/test/system/helpers.bash
+++ b/test/system/helpers.bash
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ function wait_for_port() {
 
     # Wait
     while [ $_timeout -gt 0 ]; do
-        { exec 3<> /dev/tcp/$host/$port; } &>/dev/null && return
+        { exec 5<> /dev/tcp/$host/$port; } &>/dev/null && return
         sleep 1
         _timeout=$(( $_timeout - 1 ))
     done