diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
index fdf7760556cd..cbc8be50cc46 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
@@ -270,6 +270,15 @@ export function CommonPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects, getPageObject }
     async isChromeVisible() {
       return await testSubjects.exists('kibanaChrome');
     }
+
+    async waitForTopNavToBeVisible() {
+      await retry.try(async () => {
+        const isNavVisible = await testSubjects.exists('top-nav');
+        if (!isNavVisible) {
+          throw new Error('Local nav not visible yet');
+        }
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   return new CommonPage();
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/header_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/header_page.js
index b39c420527ed..97201a491688 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/header_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/header_page.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export function HeaderPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
   const defaultFindTimeout = config.get('timeouts.find');
 
   class HeaderPage {
+
     async clickSelector(selector) {
       remote.setFindTimeout(defaultFindTimeout);
       await remote.findByCssSelector(selector).click();
@@ -18,19 +19,22 @@ export function HeaderPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
     async clickDiscover() {
       log.debug('click Discover tab');
       await this.clickSelector('a[href*=\'discover\']');
-      await PageObjects.common.sleep(3000);
+      await PageObjects.common.waitForTopNavToBeVisible();
+      await this.isGlobalLoadingIndicatorHidden();
     }
 
     async clickVisualize() {
       log.debug('click Visualize tab');
       await this.clickSelector('a[href*=\'visualize\']');
-      await PageObjects.common.sleep(3000);
+      await PageObjects.common.waitForTopNavToBeVisible();
+      await this.isGlobalLoadingIndicatorHidden();
     }
 
     async clickDashboard() {
       log.debug('click Dashboard tab');
       await this.clickSelector('a[href*=\'dashboard\']');
-      await PageObjects.common.sleep(3000);
+      await PageObjects.common.waitForTopNavToBeVisible();
+      await this.isGlobalLoadingIndicatorHidden();
     }
 
     async clickSettings() {