diff --git a/src/test/perl/PostgreSQL/Test/Cluster.pm b/src/test/perl/PostgreSQL/Test/Cluster.pm
index 44c1bb5afd..4fec417f6f 100644
--- a/src/test/perl/PostgreSQL/Test/Cluster.pm
+++ b/src/test/perl/PostgreSQL/Test/Cluster.pm
@@ -2742,6 +2742,29 @@ sub lsn
 
 =pod
 
+=item $node->wait_for_event(wait_event_name, backend_type)
+
+Poll pg_stat_activity until backend_type reaches wait_event_name.
+
+=cut
+
+sub wait_for_event
+{
+	my ($self, $backend_type, $wait_event_name) = @_;
+
+	$self->poll_query_until(
+		'postgres', qq[
+		SELECT count(*) > 0 FROM pg_stat_activity
+		WHERE backend_type = '$backend_type' AND wait_event = '$wait_event_name'
+	])
+	  or die
+	  qq(timed out when waiting for $backend_type to reach wait event '$wait_event_name');
+
+	return;
+}
+
+=pod
+
 =item $node->wait_for_catchup(standby_name, mode, target_lsn)
 
 Wait for the replication connection with application_name standby_name until
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/041_checkpoint_at_promote.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/041_checkpoint_at_promote.pl
index 1a6a8d86a1..7c307314ea 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/t/041_checkpoint_at_promote.pl
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/041_checkpoint_at_promote.pl
@@ -78,13 +78,7 @@ $node_primary->wait_for_replay_catchup($node_standby);
 
 # Wait until the checkpointer is in the middle of the restart point
 # processing.
-ok( $node_standby->poll_query_until(
-		'postgres',
-		qq[SELECT count(*) FROM pg_stat_activity
-           WHERE backend_type = 'checkpointer' AND wait_event = 'create-restart-point' ;],
-		'1'),
-	'checkpointer is waiting in restart point'
-) or die "Timed out while waiting for checkpointer to run restart point";
+$node_standby->wait_for_event('checkpointer', 'create-restart-point');
 
 # Check the logs that the restart point has started on standby.  This is
 # optional, but let's be sure.