diff --git a/tests/support/server.tcl b/tests/support/server.tcl
index 8f8461bb5c1b3c0af3c353cdbad6527041ca9bc7..67ee24528bb7a3d64f400f7347eb116db49cb5fb 100644
--- a/tests/support/server.tcl
+++ b/tests/support/server.tcl
@@ -240,6 +240,12 @@ proc start_server {options {code undefined}} {
         return
     }
 
+    # Wait for actual startup
+    while {![info exists _pid]} {
+        regexp {PID:\s(\d+)} [exec cat $stdout] _ _pid
+        after 100
+    }
+
     # setup properties to be able to initialize a client object
     set host $::host
     set port $::port