diff --git a/agent/consul/leader_connect.go b/agent/consul/leader_connect.go
index c2209b5da..2f796c691 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader_connect.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader_connect.go
@@ -125,10 +125,14 @@ func (s *Server) pruneCARoots() error {
 
 func (s *Server) runVirtualIPVersionCheck(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// Return early if the flag is already set.
-	_, err := s.setVirtualIPVersionFlag()
+	done, err := s.setVirtualIPVersionFlag()
 	if err != nil {
 		s.loggers.Named(logging.Connect).Warn("error enabling virtual IPs", "error", err)
 	}
+	if done {
+		s.leaderRoutineManager.Stop(virtualIPCheckRoutineName)
+		return nil
+	}
 
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(virtualIPVersionCheckInterval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
@@ -138,12 +142,12 @@ func (s *Server) runVirtualIPVersionCheck(ctx context.Context) error {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return nil
 		case <-ticker.C:
-			ok, err := s.setVirtualIPVersionFlag()
+			done, err := s.setVirtualIPVersionFlag()
 			if err != nil {
 				s.loggers.Named(logging.Connect).Warn("error enabling virtual IPs", "error", err)
 				continue
 			}
-			if ok {
+			if done {
 				return nil
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/agent/consul/leader_test.go b/agent/consul/leader_test.go
index af008358f..63b99b3a9 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader_test.go
@@ -2126,7 +2126,9 @@ func TestLeader_EnableVirtualIPs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Skip("too slow for testing.Short")
 	}
 
+	orig := virtualIPVersionCheckInterval
 	virtualIPVersionCheckInterval = 50 * time.Millisecond
+	t.Cleanup(func() { virtualIPVersionCheckInterval = orig })
 
 	conf := func(c *Config) {
 		c.Bootstrap = false