diff --git a/tests/IotServiceTest.cpp b/tests/IotServiceTest.cpp
index 1945d7dfc..c908b5b6a 100644
--- a/tests/IotServiceTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/IotServiceTest.cpp
@@ -599,13 +599,20 @@ static int s_TestIotWillTest(Aws::Crt::Allocator *allocator, void *ctx)
             subscriberCv.wait(lock, [&]() { return subscriberSubscribed; });
         }
 
+        // there appears to be a race condition broker-side in IoT Core such that the interrupter is occasionally
+        // rejected rather than the existing connection.  We try and work around this in two ways:
+        //  (1) Wait a couple seconds to let things settle in terms of eventual consistency.
+        //  (2) Have the interrupter make connection attempts in a loop until a successful interruption occurs.
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(2));
+
         // Disconnect the client by interrupting it with another client with the same ID
         // which will cause the will to be sent
         auto interruptConnection = mqttClient.NewConnection(envVars.inputHost.c_str(), 8883, socketOptions, tlsContext);
-        interruptConnection->SetWill(topicStr.c_str(), QOS::AWS_MQTT_QOS_AT_LEAST_ONCE, false, payload);
+        // interruptConnection->SetWill(topicStr.c_str(), QOS::AWS_MQTT_QOS_AT_LEAST_ONCE, false, payload);
         std::mutex interruptMutex;
         std::condition_variable interruptCv;
         bool interruptConnected = false;
+        bool interruptConnectionAttemptComplete = false;
         auto interruptOnConnectionCompleted =
             [&](MqttConnection &, int errorCode, ReturnCode returnCode, bool sessionPresent)
         {
@@ -614,7 +621,11 @@ static int s_TestIotWillTest(Aws::Crt::Allocator *allocator, void *ctx)
             (void)sessionPresent;
             {
                 std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(interruptMutex);
-                interruptConnected = true;
+                interruptConnectionAttemptComplete = true;
+                if (errorCode == AWS_ERROR_SUCCESS && returnCode == AWS_MQTT_CONNECT_ACCEPTED)
+                {
+                    interruptConnected = true;
+                }
             }
             interruptCv.notify_one();
         };
@@ -628,11 +639,17 @@ static int s_TestIotWillTest(Aws::Crt::Allocator *allocator, void *ctx)
         };
         interruptConnection->OnConnectionCompleted = interruptOnConnectionCompleted;
         interruptConnection->OnDisconnect = interruptOnDisconnect;
-        interruptConnection->Connect((Aws::Crt::String("test-01-") + uuidStr).c_str(), true);
+
+        bool continueConnecting;
+        do
         {
-            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(interruptMutex);
-            interruptCv.wait(lock, [&]() { return interruptConnected; });
-        }
+            interruptConnection->Connect((Aws::Crt::String("test-01-") + uuidStr).c_str(), true);
+            {
+                std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(interruptMutex);
+                interruptCv.wait(lock, [&]() { return interruptConnectionAttemptComplete; });
+                continueConnecting = !interruptConnected;
+            }
+        } while (continueConnecting);
 
         // wait for message received callback - meaning the will was sent
         {