diff --git a/server/etcdserver/server.go b/server/etcdserver/server.go
index 5571b6d3862d..211785348cb4 100644
--- a/server/etcdserver/server.go
+++ b/server/etcdserver/server.go
@@ -966,8 +966,9 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) applyAll(ep *etcdProgress, apply *toApply) {
 	// storage, since the raft routine might be slower than toApply routine.
 	<-apply.notifyc
 
-	s.triggerSnapshot(ep)
-	s.compactRaftLog(ep.appliedi)
+	tr := s.triggerSnapshot(ep)
+	// force compaction after each snapshot as some tests assume it happens right away
+	s.compactRaftLog(ep.appliedi, tr)
 	select {
 	// snapshot requested via send()
 	case m := <-s.r.msgSnapC:
@@ -1179,9 +1180,10 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) ForceSnapshot() {
 	s.forceSnapshot = true
 }
 
-func (s *EtcdServer) triggerSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) {
+// triggerSnapshot returns whether the snapshot has been triggered
+func (s *EtcdServer) triggerSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) bool {
 	if !s.shouldSnapshot(ep) {
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 	lg := s.Logger()
 	lg.Info(
@@ -1196,6 +1198,7 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) triggerSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) {
 
 	s.snapshot(ep.appliedi, ep.confState)
 	ep.snapi = ep.appliedi
+	return true
 }
 
 func (s *EtcdServer) shouldSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) bool {
@@ -2160,7 +2163,7 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) snapshot(snapi uint64, confState raftpb.ConfState) {
 	)
 }
 
-func (s *EtcdServer) compactRaftLog(appliedi uint64) {
+func (s *EtcdServer) compactRaftLog(appliedi uint64, force bool) {
 	lg := s.Logger()
 
 	// keep some in memory log entries for slow followers
@@ -2168,8 +2171,8 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) compactRaftLog(appliedi uint64) {
 		return
 	}
 	compacti := appliedi - s.Cfg.SnapshotCatchUpEntries
-	//  only compact raft log once every N applies
-	if compacti%CompactRaftLogEveryNApplies != 0 {
+	//  if not force, only compact raft log once every N applies
+	if !force && compacti%CompactRaftLogEveryNApplies != 0 {
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/etcdserver/server_test.go b/server/etcdserver/server_test.go
index 12d2f824f27f..3f423593fd01 100644
--- a/server/etcdserver/server_test.go
+++ b/server/etcdserver/server_test.go
@@ -854,11 +854,11 @@ func TestConcurrentApplyAndSnapshotV3(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestCompact ensures that:
+// TestCompactRaftLog ensures that:
 // 1. raft log gets compacted only when entries size is greater than SnapshotCatchUpEntries
-// 2. raft log gets compacted only once every CompactRaftLogEveryNApplies applies
+// 2. raft log gets compacted once every CompactRaftLogEveryNApplies applies
 // 3. after a compaction, entries size equals SnapshotCatchUpEntries
-func TestCompact(t *testing.T) {
+func TestCompactRaftLog(t *testing.T) {
 	lg := zaptest.NewLogger(t)
 	n := newNodeConfChangeCommitterRecorder()
 	n.readyc <- raft.Ready{
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ func TestCompact(t *testing.T) {
 		putFooBar(nextIndex)
 		nextIndex++
 	}
-	time.Sleep(time.Second)
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 3)
 	// compact should not happen before entries size reaches snapshotCatchUpEntries+CompactRaftLogEveryNApplies
 	fi, li, cnt := mustGetEntriesInfo()
 	assert.Equal(t, uint64(1), fi)
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ func TestCompact(t *testing.T) {
 	// trigger the first compaction
 	putFooBar(nextIndex)
 	nextIndex++
-	time.Sleep(time.Second)
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 3)
 	fi, li, cnt = mustGetEntriesInfo()
 	assert.Equal(t, nextIndex-1, li)
 	assert.Equal(t, li-snapshotCatchUpEntries+1, fi)