diff --git a/codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/codex_message_processor_flow.rs b/codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/codex_message_processor_flow.rs
index b97acfc40..d905c3c1b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/codex_message_processor_flow.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/codex_message_processor_flow.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ async fn test_codex_jsonrpc_conversation_flow() -> Result<()> {
     let AddConversationSubscriptionResponse { subscription_id } =
         to_response::<AddConversationSubscriptionResponse>(add_listener_resp)?;
 
+    // Drop any buffered events from conversation setup to avoid
+    // matching an earlier task_complete.
+    mcp.clear_message_buffer();
+
     // 3) sendUserMessage (should trigger notifications; we only validate an OK response)
     let send_user_id = mcp
         .send_send_user_message_request(SendUserMessageParams {
@@ -125,13 +129,38 @@ async fn test_codex_jsonrpc_conversation_flow() -> Result<()> {
     .await??;
     let SendUserMessageResponse {} = to_response::<SendUserMessageResponse>(send_user_resp)?;
 
-    // Verify the task_finished notification is received.
-    // Note this also ensures that the final request to the server was made.
-    let task_finished_notification: JSONRPCNotification = timeout(
+    let task_started_notification: JSONRPCNotification = timeout(
         DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT,
-        mcp.read_stream_until_notification_message("codex/event/task_complete"),
+        mcp.read_stream_until_notification_message("codex/event/task_started"),
     )
     .await??;
+    let task_started_event: Event = serde_json::from_value(
+        task_started_notification
+            .params
+            .clone()
+            .expect("task_started should have params"),
+    )
+    .expect("task_started should deserialize to Event");
+
+    // Verify the task_finished notification for this turn is received.
+    // Note this also ensures that the final request to the server was made.
+    let task_finished_notification: JSONRPCNotification = loop {
+        let notification: JSONRPCNotification = timeout(
+            DEFAULT_READ_TIMEOUT,
+            mcp.read_stream_until_notification_message("codex/event/task_complete"),
+        )
+        .await??;
+        let event: Event = serde_json::from_value(
+            notification
+                .params
+                .clone()
+                .expect("task_complete should have params"),
+        )
+        .expect("task_complete should deserialize to Event");
+        if event.id == task_started_event.id {
+            break notification;
+        }
+    };
     let serde_json::Value::Object(map) = task_finished_notification
         .params
         .expect("notification should have params")