diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchQueryThenFetchAsyncActionTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchQueryThenFetchAsyncActionTests.java
index 1a2be26f547f9..e6ea5f1960456 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchQueryThenFetchAsyncActionTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchQueryThenFetchAsyncActionTests.java
@@ -273,18 +273,22 @@ public void testMinimumVersionSameAsNewVersion() {
     }
 
     public void testMinimumVersionBetweenNewAndOldVersion() {
-        var oldVersion = new VersionInformation(
-            VersionUtils.getFirstVersion(),
-            IndexVersions.MINIMUM_COMPATIBLE,
-            IndexVersionUtils.randomCompatibleVersion(random())
-        );
-
         var newVersion = new VersionInformation(
             VersionUtils.maxCompatibleVersion(VersionUtils.getFirstVersion()),
             IndexVersions.MINIMUM_COMPATIBLE,
             IndexVersion.current()
         );
 
+        var oldVersion = new VersionInformation(
+            VersionUtils.randomVersionBetween(
+                random(),
+                Version.CURRENT.minimumCompatibilityVersion(),
+                VersionUtils.getPreviousVersion(newVersion.nodeVersion())
+            ),
+            IndexVersions.MINIMUM_COMPATIBLE,
+            IndexVersionUtils.randomCompatibleVersion(random())
+        );
+
         var minVersion = VersionUtils.randomVersionBetween(
             random(),
             allVersions().get(allVersions().indexOf(oldVersion.nodeVersion()) + 1),