diff --git a/muted-tests.yml b/muted-tests.yml
index cd5e53eff6a55..4293db60f0c06 100644
--- a/muted-tests.yml
+++ b/muted-tests.yml
@@ -328,9 +328,6 @@ tests:
 - class: org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.plugin.DataNodeRequestSenderIT
   method: testSearchWhileRelocating
   issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128500
-- class: org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.action.CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT
-  method: testFailToStartRequestOnRemoteCluster
-  issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128545
 - class: org.elasticsearch.compute.operator.LimitOperatorTests
   method: testEarlyTermination
   issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128721
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/action/CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT.java b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/action/CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT.java
index cdc242daa682c..46a06f44fecfa 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/action/CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/esql/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/action/CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.lessThanOrEqualTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.oneOf;
 
 public class CrossClusterQueryWithPartialResultsIT extends AbstractCrossClusterTestCase {
 
@@ -295,7 +296,11 @@ public void testFailToStartRequestOnRemoteCluster() throws Exception {
                 assertThat(returnedIds, equalTo(local.okIds));
                 assertClusterSuccess(resp, LOCAL_CLUSTER, local.okShards);
                 EsqlExecutionInfo.Cluster remoteInfo = resp.getExecutionInfo().getCluster(REMOTE_CLUSTER_1);
-                assertThat(remoteInfo.getStatus(), equalTo(EsqlExecutionInfo.Cluster.Status.SKIPPED));
+                // It could also return partial on failure
+                assertThat(
+                    remoteInfo.getStatus(),
+                    oneOf(EsqlExecutionInfo.Cluster.Status.SKIPPED, EsqlExecutionInfo.Cluster.Status.PARTIAL)
+                );
                 assertClusterFailure(resp, REMOTE_CLUSTER_1, simulatedFailure.getMessage());
             }
         } finally {