diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl.h b/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
index 0d8ce7624..f46d41ce2 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
@@ -974,6 +974,9 @@ class DBImpl : public DB {
   Status TEST_AtomicFlushMemTables(const autovector<ColumnFamilyData*>& cfds,
                                    const FlushOptions& flush_opts);
 
+  // Wait for background threads to complete scheduled work.
+  Status TEST_WaitForBackgroundWork();
+
   // Wait for memtable compaction
   Status TEST_WaitForFlushMemTable(ColumnFamilyHandle* column_family = nullptr);
 
diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl_debug.cc b/db/db_impl/db_impl_debug.cc
index 2bdc66688..d7e0628f6 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl_debug.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl_debug.cc
@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ Status DBImpl::TEST_AtomicFlushMemTables(
   return AtomicFlushMemTables(cfds, flush_opts, FlushReason::kTest);
 }
 
+Status DBImpl::TEST_WaitForBackgroundWork() {
+  InstrumentedMutexLock l(&mutex_);
+  WaitForBackgroundWork();
+  return Status::OK();
+}
+
 Status DBImpl::TEST_WaitForFlushMemTable(ColumnFamilyHandle* column_family) {
   ColumnFamilyData* cfd;
   if (column_family == nullptr) {
diff --git a/utilities/backupable/backupable_db_test.cc b/utilities/backupable/backupable_db_test.cc
index 80111fc1c..1c6a4ba43 100644
--- a/utilities/backupable/backupable_db_test.cc
+++ b/utilities/backupable/backupable_db_test.cc
@@ -3158,6 +3158,10 @@ TEST_F(BackupEngineTest, ChangeManifestDuringBackupCreation) {
   FillDB(db_.get(), 0, 100, kAutoFlushOnly);
   ASSERT_OK(db_chroot_env_->FileExists(prev_manifest_path));
   ASSERT_OK(db_->Flush(FlushOptions()));
+  // Even though manual flush completed above, the background thread may not
+  // have finished its cleanup work. `TEST_WaitForBackgroundWork()` will wait
+  // until all the background thread's work has completed, including cleanup.
+  ASSERT_OK(db_impl->TEST_WaitForBackgroundWork());
   ASSERT_TRUE(db_chroot_env_->FileExists(prev_manifest_path).IsNotFound());
 
   CloseDBAndBackupEngine();