diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/ml/anomaly_detection/anomaly_explorer.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/ml/anomaly_detection/anomaly_explorer.ts
index 4461c5aec42f..c86a875be641 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/ml/anomaly_detection/anomaly_explorer.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/ml/anomaly_detection/anomaly_explorer.ts
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
             x: sampleCell.x + cellSize,
             y: sampleCell.y + cellSize,
           });
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
+
           // TODO extend cell data with X and Y values, and cell width
           await ml.swimLane.assertSelection(overallSwimLaneTestSubj, {
             x: [1454846400000, 1454860800000],
@@ -215,6 +217,8 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
 
           await ml.testExecution.logTestStep('clears the selection');
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.clearSwimLaneSelection();
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
+
           await ml.navigation.assertCurrentURLNotContain(
             'selectedLanes%3A!(Overall)%2CselectedTimes%3A!(1454846400%2C1454860800)%2CselectedType%3Aoverall%2CshowTopFieldValues%3A!t%2CviewByFieldName%3Aairline%2CviewByFromPage%3A1%2CviewByPerPage%3A10'
           );
@@ -255,6 +259,7 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
             x: sampleCell.x + cellSize,
             y: sampleCell.y + cellSize,
           });
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
 
           await ml.testExecution.logTestStep('check page content');
           await ml.swimLane.assertSelection(viewBySwimLaneTestSubj, {
@@ -274,6 +279,8 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
 
           await ml.testExecution.logTestStep('clears the selection');
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.clearSwimLaneSelection();
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
+
           await ml.anomaliesTable.assertTableRowsCount(25);
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.assertInfluencerFieldListLength('airline', 10);
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.assertAnomalyExplorerChartsCount(0);
@@ -299,6 +306,7 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
             x2: sampleCell2!.x + cellSize,
             y2: sampleCell2!.y + cellSize,
           });
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
 
           await ml.swimLane.assertSelection(viewBySwimLaneTestSubj, {
             x: [1454817600000, 1454846400000],
@@ -311,6 +319,8 @@ export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
 
           await ml.testExecution.logTestStep('clears the selection');
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.clearSwimLaneSelection();
+          await ml.swimLane.waitForSwimLanesToLoad();
+
           await ml.anomaliesTable.assertTableRowsCount(25);
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.assertInfluencerFieldListLength('airline', 10);
           await ml.anomalyExplorer.assertAnomalyExplorerChartsCount(0);
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/anomaly_explorer.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/anomaly_explorer.ts
index 4b1992777b8a..6ec45204388d 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/anomaly_explorer.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/anomaly_explorer.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ export function MachineLearningAnomalyExplorerProvider({ getService }: FtrProvid
         true
       );
       await testSubjects.clickWhenNotDisabled('mlAddAndEditDashboardButton');
-      const embeddable = await testSubjects.find('mlAnomalySwimlaneEmbeddableWrapper');
+      // changing to the dashboard app might take sime time
+      const embeddable = await testSubjects.find('mlAnomalySwimlaneEmbeddableWrapper', 30 * 1000);
       const swimlane = await embeddable.findByClassName('mlSwimLaneContainer');
       expect(await swimlane.isDisplayed()).to.eql(
         true,
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/swim_lane.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/swim_lane.ts
index d659b24559a4..29918b83cd27 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/swim_lane.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/swim_lane.ts
@@ -208,5 +208,16 @@ export function SwimLaneProvider({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
       await testSubjects.click(`mlSwimLanePageSizePanel > ${rowsCount} rows`);
       await this.assertPageSize(testSubj, rowsCount);
     },
+
+    async waitForSwimLanesToLoad() {
+      // when updating the swim lanes, the old lanes might still be displayed
+      // for some time, before the loading indicator is displayed
+
+      // wait for loading indicator to be displayed, but don't fail in case it's already gone
+      if (await testSubjects.exists('mlSwimLaneLoadingIndicator', { timeout: 10 * 1000 })) {
+        // only wait for loading indicator to disappear if it was actually displayed
+        await testSubjects.missingOrFail('mlSwimLaneLoadingIndicator', { timeout: 10 * 1000 });
+      }
+    },
   };
 }