diff --git a/libs/binder/tests/binderLibTest.cpp b/libs/binder/tests/binderLibTest.cpp
index f7498c4..955c650 100644
--- a/libs/binder/tests/binderLibTest.cpp
+++ b/libs/binder/tests/binderLibTest.cpp
@@ -1406,9 +1406,11 @@
     ASSERT_TRUE(server != nullptr);
     int32_t delay = 1000; // ms
     data.writeInt32(delay);
+    // b/266537959 - must take before taking lock, since countdown is started in the remote
+    // process there.
+    size_t epochMsBefore = epochMillis();
     EXPECT_THAT(server->transact(BINDER_LIB_TEST_PROCESS_TEMPORARY_LOCK, data, &reply), NO_ERROR);
     std::vector<std::thread> ts;
-    size_t epochMsBefore = epochMillis();
     for (size_t i = 0; i < kKernelThreads + 1; i++) {
         ts.push_back(std::thread([&] {
             Parcel local_reply;