diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/data_frame_analytics/pages/analytics_creation/components/configuration_step/configuration_step_form.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/data_frame_analytics/pages/analytics_creation/components/configuration_step/configuration_step_form.tsx
index 571c7731822c..2ae199664746 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/data_frame_analytics/pages/analytics_creation/components/configuration_step/configuration_step_form.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/data_frame_analytics/pages/analytics_creation/components/configuration_step/configuration_step_form.tsx
@@ -397,7 +397,9 @@ export const ConfigurationStepForm: FC<CreateAnalyticsStepProps> = ({
               }
               isClearable={false}
               isInvalid={dependentVariable === ''}
-              data-test-subj="mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect"
+              data-test-subj={`mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect${
+                loadingDepVarOptions ? ' loading' : ' loaded'
+              }`}
             />
           </EuiFormRow>
         </Fragment>
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/data_frame_analytics_creation.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/data_frame_analytics_creation.ts
index d8df2fb869ed..474d6845ef3e 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/data_frame_analytics_creation.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/data_frame_analytics_creation.ts
@@ -228,23 +228,33 @@ export function MachineLearningDataFrameAnalyticsCreationProvider(
       await this.assertDestIndexValue(destIndex);
     },
 
+    async waitForDependentVariableInputLoaded() {
+      await testSubjects.existOrFail('~mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect', {
+        timeout: 5 * 1000,
+      });
+      await testSubjects.existOrFail('mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect loaded', {
+        timeout: 30 * 1000,
+      });
+    },
+
     async assertDependentVariableInputExists() {
       await retry.tryForTime(8000, async () => {
         await testSubjects.existOrFail(
-          'mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
+          '~mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
         );
       });
     },
 
     async assertDependentVariableInputMissing() {
       await testSubjects.missingOrFail(
-        'mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
+        '~mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
       );
     },
 
     async assertDependentVariableSelection(expectedSelection: string[]) {
+      await this.waitForDependentVariableInputLoaded();
       const actualSelection = await comboBox.getComboBoxSelectedOptions(
-        'mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
+        '~mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput'
       );
       expect(actualSelection).to.eql(
         expectedSelection,
@@ -253,8 +263,9 @@ export function MachineLearningDataFrameAnalyticsCreationProvider(
     },
 
     async selectDependentVariable(dependentVariable: string) {
+      await this.waitForDependentVariableInputLoaded();
       await comboBox.set(
-        'mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput',
+        '~mlAnalyticsCreateJobWizardDependentVariableSelect > comboBoxInput',
         dependentVariable
       );
       await this.assertDependentVariableSelection([dependentVariable]);