diff --git a/reactor-core/src/test/java/reactor/core/publisher/FluxSampleTimeoutTest.java b/reactor-core/src/test/java/reactor/core/publisher/FluxSampleTimeoutTest.java
index 1a34fa8a07..7c8a0b83da 100644
--- a/reactor-core/src/test/java/reactor/core/publisher/FluxSampleTimeoutTest.java
+++ b/reactor-core/src/test/java/reactor/core/publisher/FluxSampleTimeoutTest.java
@@ -137,20 +137,17 @@ public void throttlerReturnsNull() {
 
 	@Test
 	public void sampleIncludesLastItem() {
-		Flux<Integer> source = Flux.concat(
-				Flux.range(1, 5),
-				Mono.delay(Duration.ofMillis(260)).ignoreElement().map(Long::intValue),
-				Flux.just(80, 90, 100)
-		).hide();
-
-		Duration duration = StepVerifier.create(source
-				.sampleTimeout(i -> Mono.delay(Duration.ofMillis(250))))
-		                                .expectNext(5)
-		                                .expectNext(100)
-		                                .verifyComplete();
-
-		//sanity check on the sequence duration
-		assertThat(duration.toMillis()).isLessThan(500);
+		StepVerifier.withVirtualTime(() ->
+				Flux.concat(
+						Flux.range(1, 5),
+						Mono.delay(Duration.ofMillis(260)).ignoreElement().map(Long::intValue),
+						Flux.just(80, 90, 100)
+				).hide()
+						.sampleTimeout(i -> Mono.delay(Duration.ofMillis(250))))
+				.thenAwait(Duration.ofMillis(500))
+				.expectNext(5)
+				.expectNext(100)
+				.verifyComplete();
 	}
 
 	@Test