diff --git a/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy.go b/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy.go
index 019b8f602..b811a00ee 100644
--- a/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy.go
+++ b/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	"tailscale.com/util/syspolicy/internal"
 	"tailscale.com/util/syspolicy/internal/loggerx"
 	"tailscale.com/util/syspolicy/setting"
 
@@ -447,3 +448,9 @@ func (p *Policy) Close() {
 		go p.closeInternal()
 	}
 }
+
+func setForTest[T any](tb internal.TB, target *T, newValue T) {
+	oldValue := *target
+	tb.Cleanup(func() { *target = oldValue })
+	*target = newValue
+}
diff --git a/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy_test.go b/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy_test.go
index b2408c7f7..e4bfb1a88 100644
--- a/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy_test.go
+++ b/util/syspolicy/rsop/resultant_policy_test.go
@@ -574,9 +574,6 @@ func TestPolicyChangeHasChanged(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestChangePolicySetting(t *testing.T) {
-	setForTest(t, &policyReloadMinDelay, 100*time.Millisecond)
-	setForTest(t, &policyReloadMaxDelay, 500*time.Millisecond)
-
 	// Register policy settings used in this test.
 	settingA := setting.NewDefinition("TestSettingA", setting.DeviceSetting, setting.StringValue)
 	settingB := setting.NewDefinition("TestSettingB", setting.DeviceSetting, setting.StringValue)
@@ -589,6 +586,10 @@ func TestChangePolicySetting(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := RegisterStoreForTest(t, "TestSource", setting.DeviceScope, store); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to register policy store: %v", err)
 	}
+
+	setForTest(t, &policyReloadMinDelay, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	setForTest(t, &policyReloadMaxDelay, 500*time.Millisecond)
+
 	policy, err := policyForTest(t, setting.DeviceScope)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to get effective policy: %v", err)
@@ -978,9 +979,3 @@ func policyForTest(tb testing.TB, target setting.PolicyScope) (*Policy, error) {
 	})
 	return policy, nil
 }
-
-func setForTest[T any](tb testing.TB, target *T, newValue T) {
-	oldValue := *target
-	tb.Cleanup(func() { *target = oldValue })
-	*target = newValue
-}
diff --git a/util/syspolicy/rsop/store_registration.go b/util/syspolicy/rsop/store_registration.go
index 09c83e988..f9836846e 100644
--- a/util/syspolicy/rsop/store_registration.go
+++ b/util/syspolicy/rsop/store_registration.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	"errors"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 
 	"tailscale.com/util/syspolicy/internal"
 	"tailscale.com/util/syspolicy/setting"
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ func RegisterStore(name string, scope setting.PolicyScope, store source.Store) (
 // RegisterStoreForTest is like [RegisterStore], but unregisters the store when
 // tb and all its subtests complete.
 func RegisterStoreForTest(tb internal.TB, name string, scope setting.PolicyScope, store source.Store) (*StoreRegistration, error) {
+	setForTest(tb, &policyReloadMinDelay, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	setForTest(tb, &policyReloadMaxDelay, 500*time.Millisecond)
+
 	reg, err := RegisterStore(name, scope, store)
 	if err == nil {
 		tb.Cleanup(func() {