diff --git a/test/common/autotest_common.sh b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
index 86511ccf7..1a55b7ca1 100644
--- a/test/common/autotest_common.sh
+++ b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
@@ -314,12 +314,12 @@ function waitforlisten() {
 		fi
 
 		if hash ss; then
-			if $ns_cmd ss -lx | grep -q $rpc_addr; then
+			if $ns_cmd ss -lx | egrep -q "\s+$rpc_addr\s+"; then
 				ret=0
 			fi
 		else
 			# if system doesn't have ss, just assume it has netstat
-			if $ns_cmd netstat -an -x | grep -iw LISTENING | grep -q $rpc_addr; then
+			if $ns_cmd netstat -an -x | grep -iw LISTENING | egrep -q "\s+$rpc_addr\$"; then
 				ret=0
 			fi
 		fi