diff --git a/fluss-server/src/test/java/org/apache/fluss/server/ServerITCaseBase.java b/fluss-server/src/test/java/org/apache/fluss/server/ServerITCaseBase.java
index 254d1a4acf..0a8afa2bb8 100644
--- a/fluss-server/src/test/java/org/apache/fluss/server/ServerITCaseBase.java
+++ b/fluss-server/src/test/java/org/apache/fluss/server/ServerITCaseBase.java
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ private void waitUntilServerStartup(TestProcessBuilder.TestProcess process) {
         CommonTestUtils.waitUntil(
                 () ->
                         process.getProcessOutput().toString().contains(SERVER_STARTED_MARKER)
-                                || !process.getErrorOutput().toString().isEmpty(),
+                                || !process.getProcess().isAlive(),
                 Duration.ofMinutes(2),
                 null);
-        String errorMsg = process.getErrorOutput().toString();
-        if (!errorMsg.isEmpty()) {
+        if (!process.getProcess().isAlive()) {
+            String errorMsg = process.getErrorOutput().toString();
             throw new IllegalStateException("Server process failed to start: " + errorMsg);
         }
     }