diff --git a/tests/unit/storage_v2_durability_inmemory.cpp b/tests/unit/storage_v2_durability_inmemory.cpp
index 7cb1fc17a..d839a8518 100644
--- a/tests/unit/storage_v2_durability_inmemory.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/storage_v2_durability_inmemory.cpp
@@ -736,34 +736,49 @@ TEST_P(DurabilityTest, SnapshotPeriodic) {
 // NOLINTNEXTLINE(hicpp-special-member-functions)
 TEST_P(DurabilityTest, SnapshotFallback) {
   // Create snapshot.
-  std::size_t current_number_of_snapshots = 0;
+  std::size_t number_to_save;
   {
+    // DEVNOTE_1: assumes that snapshot disk write takes less than this
+    auto const expected_write_time = std::chrono::milliseconds(750);
+    auto const snapshot_interval = std::chrono::milliseconds(3000);
+
     std::unique_ptr<memgraph::storage::Storage> store(new memgraph::storage::InMemoryStorage(
         {.items = {.properties_on_edges = GetParam()},
-         .durability = {.storage_directory = storage_directory,
-                        .snapshot_wal_mode = memgraph::storage::Config::Durability::SnapshotWalMode::PERIODIC_SNAPSHOT,
-                        .snapshot_interval = std::chrono::milliseconds(3000)}}));
-    CreateBaseDataset(store.get(), GetParam());
-    std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(3500));
-    current_number_of_snapshots = GetSnapshotsList().size();
-    ASSERT_GE(current_number_of_snapshots, 1);
-    CreateExtendedDataset(store.get());
-    std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(3000));
+         .durability = {
+             .storage_directory = storage_directory,
+             .snapshot_wal_mode = memgraph::storage::Config::Durability::SnapshotWalMode::PERIODIC_SNAPSHOT,
+             .snapshot_interval = snapshot_interval,
+             .snapshot_retention_count = 10,  // We don't anticipate that we make this many
+         }}));
+
+    auto const ensure_snapshot_is_written = [&](auto &&func) {
+      auto const pre_count = GetSnapshotsList().size();
+      func();
+      // wait long enough to ensure at least one CreateSnapshot has been invoked
+      // DEVNOTE_2: no guarantee that it completed, see DEVNOTE_1
+      std::this_thread::sleep_for(snapshot_interval + expected_write_time);
+      auto const post_count = GetSnapshotsList().size();
+      // validate at least one snapshot has happened...hence must have written the writes from func
+      ASSERT_GT(post_count, pre_count) << "No snapshot exists to capture the last transaction";
+      // TODO: maybe double check by looking at InMemoryStorage's commit log,
+      // its oldest active should be newer than the transaction used when running `func`
+    };
+
+    ensure_snapshot_is_written([&]() { CreateBaseDataset(store.get(), GetParam()); });
+    number_to_save = GetSnapshotsList().size();
+    ensure_snapshot_is_written([&]() { CreateExtendedDataset(store.get()); });
   }
 
-  auto prev_number_of_snapshots = current_number_of_snapshots;
-  auto snapshots = GetSnapshotsList();
-  current_number_of_snapshots = snapshots.size();
-  ASSERT_GE(current_number_of_snapshots, prev_number_of_snapshots + 1);
   ASSERT_EQ(GetBackupSnapshotsList().size(), 0);
   ASSERT_EQ(GetWalsList().size(), 0);
   ASSERT_EQ(GetBackupWalsList().size(), 0);
 
   // Destroy snapshots.
   {
-    // protect the last, destroy the rest
+    auto snapshots = GetSnapshotsList();
+    // snapshots order newest first, destroy the newest, preserve number_to_save so that we ONLY_BASE
     auto it = snapshots.begin();
-    auto const e = snapshots.end() - 1;
+    auto const e = snapshots.end() - number_to_save;
     for (; it != e; ++it) {
       CorruptSnapshot(*it);
     }