diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/FixedDelayConsumerTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/FixedDelayConsumerTests.java
index 74f1204bc5..c3178b929b 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/FixedDelayConsumerTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/FixedDelayConsumerTests.java
@@ -95,14 +95,15 @@ public class FixedDelayConsumerTests {
 		subscription.setEndpoint("testEndpoint");
 		subscription.setPolicy(policy);
 		bus.activateSubscription(subscription);
-		bus.start();
 		for (int i = 0; i < messagesToSend; i++) {
 			channel.send(new GenericMessage<String>(1, "test " + (i+1)));
 		}
+		bus.start();
 		latch.await(80, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
 		int count = counter.get();
 		assertTrue("received " + count + ", expected less than 10", counter.get() < 10);
 		assertTrue("received " + count + ", expected more than 7", counter.get() > 7);
+		bus.stop();
 	}
 
 }