diff --git a/internal/nbconn/nbconn_test.go b/internal/nbconn/nbconn_test.go
index 8b672e4e..90597c3e 100644
--- a/internal/nbconn/nbconn_test.go
+++ b/internal/nbconn/nbconn_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package nbconn_test
 
 import (
 	"crypto/tls"
-	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
@@ -10,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/internal/nbconn"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
@@ -354,24 +354,34 @@ func TestBufferNonBlockingRead(t *testing.T) {
 
 		errChan := make(chan error, 1)
 		go func() {
-			_, err := remote.Write([]byte("okay"))
+			err := remote.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
+			if err != nil {
+				errChan <- err
+				return
+			}
+
+			_, err = remote.Write([]byte("okay"))
 			errChan <- err
 		}()
 
+	readLoop:
 		for i := 0; i < 1000; i++ {
-			err = conn.BufferReadUntilBlock()
-			if !errors.Is(err, nbconn.ErrWouldBlock) {
-				break
+			err := conn.BufferReadUntilBlock()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			select {
+			case err := <-errChan:
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				break readLoop
+			default:
+				time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
 			}
-			time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
 		}
-		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		buf := make([]byte, 4)
 		n, err := conn.Read(buf)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		require.EqualValues(t, 4, n)
-		require.Equal(t, []byte("okay"), buf)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, 4, n)
+		assert.Equal(t, []byte("okay"), buf)
 	})
 }