diff --git a/features/apt_messages.feature b/features/apt_messages.feature
index aefc3a24bb..02930fdb30 100644
--- a/features/apt_messages.feature
+++ b/features/apt_messages.feature
@@ -335,9 +335,9 @@ Feature: APT Messages
         When I run `rm -rf /var/lib/ubuntu-advantage/messages` with sudo
         When I run `rm /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp` with sudo
         When I run `apt-get update` with sudo
-        When I run `apt upgrade` with sudo
         # the apt-news.service unit runs in the background, give it some time to fetch the json file
         When I wait `5` seconds
+        When I run `apt upgrade` with sudo
         Then I will see the following on stdout
         """
         Reading package lists...
@@ -569,9 +569,9 @@ Feature: APT Messages
         # test that apt update will trigger hook to update apt_news for local override
         When I run `rm -f /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-success-stamp` with sudo
         When I run `apt-get update` with sudo
-        When I run `apt upgrade` with sudo
         # the apt-news.service unit runs in the background, give it some time to fetch the json file
         When I wait `5` seconds
+        When I run `apt upgrade` with sudo
         Then I will see the following on stdout
         """
         Reading package lists...