diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/nft_nat.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/nft_nat.sh
index 4e15e8167310..67697d8ea59a 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/nft_nat.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/nft_nat.sh
@@ -404,6 +404,8 @@ EOF
 	echo SERVER-$family | ip netns exec "$ns1" timeout 5 socat -u STDIN TCP-LISTEN:2000 &
 	sc_s=$!
 
+	sleep 1
+
 	result=$(ip netns exec "$ns0" timeout 1 socat TCP:$daddr:2000 STDOUT)
 
 	if [ "$result" = "SERVER-inet" ];then