diff --git a/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_test_service.js b/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_test_service.js
index 9a3aa7cc6f..d278a8932b 100644
--- a/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_test_service.js
+++ b/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_test_service.js
@@ -157,47 +157,48 @@ Meteor.methods({
 
 objectsWithUsers = new Mongo.Collection('objectsWithUsers');
 
-if (Meteor.isServer) {
-  objectsWithUsers.remove({});
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({ name: 'owned by none', ownerUserIds: [null] });
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({ name: 'owned by one - a', ownerUserIds: ['1'] });
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({
-    name: 'owned by one/two - a',
-    ownerUserIds: ['1', '2']
-  });
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({
-    name: 'owned by one/two - b',
-    ownerUserIds: ['1', '2']
-  });
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({ name: 'owned by two - a', ownerUserIds: ['2'] });
-  objectsWithUsers.insert({ name: 'owned by two - b', ownerUserIds: ['2'] });
+Meteor.startup(async function() {
+  if (Meteor.isServer) {
+    await objectsWithUsers.removeAsync({});
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({name: 'owned by none', ownerUserIds: [null]});
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({name: 'owned by one - a', ownerUserIds: ['1']});
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({
+      name: 'owned by one/two - a',
+      ownerUserIds: ['1', '2']
+    });
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({
+      name: 'owned by one/two - b',
+      ownerUserIds: ['1', '2']
+    });
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({name: 'owned by two - a', ownerUserIds: ['2']});
+    await objectsWithUsers.insertAsync({name: 'owned by two - b', ownerUserIds: ['2']});
 
-  Meteor.publish('objectsWithUsers', function() {
-    return objectsWithUsers.find(
-      { ownerUserIds: this.userId },
-      { fields: { ownerUserIds: 0 } }
-    );
-  });
-
-  (function() {
-    const userIdWhenStopped = Object.create(null);
-    Meteor.publish('recordUserIdOnStop', function(key) {
-      check(key, String);
-      const self = this;
-      self.onStop(function() {
-        userIdWhenStopped[key] = self.userId;
-      });
+    Meteor.publish('objectsWithUsers', function () {
+      return objectsWithUsers.find(
+        {ownerUserIds: this.userId},
+        {fields: {ownerUserIds: 0}}
+      );
     });
 
-    Meteor.methods({
-      userIdWhenStopped: function(key) {
+    (function () {
+      const userIdWhenStopped = Object.create(null);
+      Meteor.publish('recordUserIdOnStop', function (key) {
         check(key, String);
-        return userIdWhenStopped[key];
-      }
-    });
-  })();
-}
+        const self = this;
+        self.onStop(function () {
+          userIdWhenStopped[key] = self.userId;
+        });
+      });
 
+      Meteor.methods({
+        userIdWhenStopped: function (key) {
+          check(key, String);
+          return userIdWhenStopped[key];
+        }
+      });
+    })();
+  }
+});
 /*****/
 
 /// Helper for "livedata - setUserId fails when called on server"
diff --git a/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_tests.js b/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_tests.js
index 66a835ae8f..2005952141 100644
--- a/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_tests.js
+++ b/packages/ddp-client/test/livedata_tests.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { DDP } from '../common/namespace.js';
 import { Connection } from '../common/livedata_connection.js';
 
+const _sleep = (ms) => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+
 // XXX should check error codes
 const failure = function(test, code, reason) {
   return function(error, result) {
@@ -435,7 +437,7 @@ if (Meteor.isClient) {
   testAsyncMulti(
     'livedata - changing userid reruns subscriptions without flapping data on the wire',
     [
-      function(test, expect) {
+      async function(test, expect) {
         const messages = [];
         const undoEavesdrop = eavesdropOnCollection(
           Meteor.connection,
@@ -484,54 +486,68 @@ if (Meteor.isClient) {
         let afterSecondSetUserId;
         let afterThirdSetUserId;
 
-        Meteor.subscribe(
-          'objectsWithUsers',
-          expect(function() {
-            expectMessages(1, 0, ['owned by none']);
-            Meteor.apply(
-              'setUserId',
-              ['1'],
-              { wait: true },
-              afterFirstSetUserId
-            );
-          })
-        );
+        const handle = Meteor.subscribe('objectsWithUsers');
 
-        afterFirstSetUserId = expect(function() {
-          expectMessages(3, 1, [
-            'owned by one - a',
-            'owned by one/two - a',
-            'owned by one/two - b'
-          ]);
+        let control = 0;
+        // Just make sure the subscription is ready before running the tests
+        // As everything now runs async, the tests were running before the data fully came in
+        while (!handle.ready()) {
+          if (!handle.ready()) {
+            // Just in case something happens with the subscription, we have this control
+            if (control++ === 1000) {
+              throw new Error("Subscribe to objectsWithUsers is taking too long!");
+            }
+            await _sleep(0);
+            return;
+          }
+          expectMessages(1, 0, ['owned by none']);
           Meteor.apply(
             'setUserId',
-            ['2'],
+            ['1'],
             { wait: true },
-            afterSecondSetUserId
+            afterFirstSetUserId
           );
-        });
+          afterFirstSetUserId = expect(function() {
+            expectMessages(3, 1, [
+              'owned by one - a',
+              'owned by one/two - a',
+              'owned by one/two - b',
+            ]);
+            Meteor.apply(
+              'setUserId',
+              ['2'],
+              { wait: true },
+              afterSecondSetUserId
+            );
+          });
 
-        afterSecondSetUserId = expect(function() {
-          expectMessages(2, 1, [
-            'owned by one/two - a',
-            'owned by one/two - b',
-            'owned by two - a',
-            'owned by two - b'
-          ]);
-          Meteor.apply('setUserId', ['2'], { wait: true }, afterThirdSetUserId);
-        });
+          afterSecondSetUserId = expect(function() {
+            expectMessages(2, 1, [
+              'owned by one/two - a',
+              'owned by one/two - b',
+              'owned by two - a',
+              'owned by two - b',
+            ]);
+            Meteor.apply(
+              'setUserId',
+              ['2'],
+              { wait: true },
+              afterThirdSetUserId
+            );
+          });
 
-        afterThirdSetUserId = expect(function() {
-          // Nothing should have been sent since the results of the
-          // query are the same ("don't flap data on the wire")
-          expectMessages(0, 0, [
-            'owned by one/two - a',
-            'owned by one/two - b',
-            'owned by two - a',
-            'owned by two - b'
-          ]);
-          undoEavesdrop();
-        });
+          afterThirdSetUserId = expect(function() {
+            // Nothing should have been sent since the results of the
+            // query are the same ("don't flap data on the wire")
+            expectMessages(0, 0, [
+              'owned by one/two - a',
+              'owned by one/two - b',
+              'owned by two - a',
+              'owned by two - b',
+            ]);
+            undoEavesdrop();
+          });
+        }
       },
       function(test, expect) {
         const key = Random.id();