diff --git a/tests/e2e/specs/maintenance-mode.test.js b/tests/e2e/specs/maintenance-mode.test.js
index df9d409a07895..6ccbfbb8063f1 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/specs/maintenance-mode.test.js
+++ b/tests/e2e/specs/maintenance-mode.test.js
@@ -20,8 +20,16 @@ test.describe( 'Maintenance mode', () => {
 		writeFileSync( maintenanceLockFile, '<?php $upgrading = 10000000000; ?>' ); // Year 2286.
 	} );
 
-	test.afterAll( async () => {
+	test.afterAll( async ( { request } ) => {
 		unlinkSync( maintenanceLockFile );
+
+		// A Docker file share can report a deleted file as present for about a
+		// second, and require() then fails in wp_is_maintenance_mode().
+		await expect( async () => {
+			const response = await request.get( '/' );
+			await expect( response ).toBeOK();
+			expect( await response.text() ).not.toContain( '.maintenance' );
+		}, 'should leave maintenance mode after the lock file is deleted' ).toPass( { timeout: 10_000 } );
 	} );
 
 	test( 'should display maintenance mode page', async ( { page } ) => {