diff --git a/testutil/server.go b/testutil/server.go
index 24b63c780..6bba71122 100644
--- a/testutil/server.go
+++ b/testutil/server.go
@@ -186,6 +186,11 @@ func NewTestServer(t *testing.T, cb ServerConfigCallback) *TestServer {
 	} else {
 		server.waitForAPI()
 	}
+
+	// Wait for the client to be ready
+	if nomadConfig.DevMode {
+		server.waitForClient()
+	}
 	return server
 }
 
@@ -249,6 +254,44 @@ func (s *TestServer) waitForLeader() {
 	})
 }
 
+// waitForClient waits for the Nomad client to be ready. The function returns
+// immediately if the server is not in dev mode.
+func (s *TestServer) waitForClient() {
+	if !s.Config.DevMode {
+		return
+	}
+
+	WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
+		resp, err := s.HTTPClient.Get(s.url("/v1/nodes"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		if err := s.requireOK(resp); err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+
+		var decoded []struct {
+			ID     string
+			Status string
+		}
+
+		dec := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body)
+		if err := dec.Decode(&decoded); err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+
+		if len(decoded) != 1 || decoded[0].Status != "ready" {
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("Node not ready: %v", decoded)
+		}
+
+		return true, nil
+	}, func(err error) {
+		defer s.Stop()
+		s.t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	})
+}
+
 // url is a helper function which takes a relative URL and
 // makes it into a proper URL against the local Nomad server.
 func (s *TestServer) url(path string) string {