diff --git a/crates/ecstore/src/services/tier/tier.rs b/crates/ecstore/src/services/tier/tier.rs
index f48f58fc0..8d80f37e9 100644
--- a/crates/ecstore/src/services/tier/tier.rs
+++ b/crates/ecstore/src/services/tier/tier.rs
@@ -17579,6 +17579,66 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(current.tiers.contains_key("COLD-B"));
     }
 
+    async fn wait_for_reference_proof_barrier(
+        barrier: &TierDriverBuildBarrier,
+        update: &mut tokio::task::JoinHandle<std::result::Result<(), TierConfigUpdateError>>,
+    ) -> std::result::Result<(), String> {
+        tokio::select! {
+            biased;
+            result = &mut *update => Err(format!("tier update exited before the reference proof barrier: {result:?}")),
+            () = barrier.arrived.notified() => Ok(()),
+            () = tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(30)) => {
+                // Aborting the caller does not stop its owned mutation task.
+                // Let a late arrival pass the test-only barrier.
+                barrier.release.add_permits(1);
+                update.abort();
+                Err("timed out waiting for the reference proof barrier".to_string())
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[serial_test::serial]
+    async fn reference_proof_barrier_reports_update_failure_before_arrival() {
+        let manager = TierConfigMgr::new();
+        let store = Arc::new(CasConfigStore::default());
+        let mut persisted = empty_mgr();
+        persisted.tiers.insert("COLD-A".to_string(), build_rustfs_tier("COLD-A"));
+        persisted
+            .save_tiering_config_if_current(store.clone(), None)
+            .await
+            .expect("early update failure fixture should persist");
+        let barrier = tier_reference_proof_test_barrier();
+        let scoped_barrier = barrier.clone();
+        let factory: TierDriverTestFactory =
+            Arc::new(|_| Err(AdminError::msg("injected driver initialization failure before reference proof")));
+        let mut update = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            TIER_REFERENCE_PROOF_TEST_BARRIER
+                .scope(
+                    scoped_barrier,
+                    TIER_DRIVER_TEST_FACTORY.scope(
+                        factory,
+                        TIER_MUTATION_TEST_PEERS.scope(
+                            Vec::new(),
+                            TierConfigMgr::update_candidate_with_config_lock(
+                                &manager,
+                                store,
+                                TierCandidateMutation::Remove("COLD-A".to_string(), true),
+                            ),
+                        ),
+                    ),
+                )
+                .await
+        });
+
+        let err = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), wait_for_reference_proof_barrier(&barrier, &mut update))
+            .await
+            .expect("an early update failure should be observed without waiting for the barrier deadline")
+            .expect_err("a failed update cannot reach the reference proof barrier");
+        assert!(err.contains("Mutation"), "{err}");
+        assert!(err.contains("injected driver initialization failure before reference proof"), "{err}");
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     #[serial_test::serial]
     async fn reference_proof_rejects_a_changed_prepared_fence_revision_before_publish() {
@@ -17599,7 +17659,7 @@ mod tests {
         let scoped_barrier = barrier.clone();
         let update_manager = manager.clone();
         let update_store = store.clone();
-        let update = tokio::spawn(async move {
+        let mut update = tokio::spawn(async move {
             TIER_REFERENCE_PROOF_TEST_BARRIER
                 .scope(
                     scoped_barrier,
@@ -17614,7 +17674,9 @@ mod tests {
                 )
                 .await
         });
-        barrier.arrived.notified().await;
+        wait_for_reference_proof_barrier(&barrier, &mut update)
+            .await
+            .expect("tier update should reach the reference proof barrier");
 
         let unrelated = prepared_remove_intent("COLD-B", uuid::Uuid::from_u128(0x2237));
         TierConfigMgr::apply_prepared_mutation_intent_block(&manager, &unrelated)
@@ -17622,8 +17684,9 @@ mod tests {
             .expect("an unrelated prepared fence should advance the runtime revision");
         barrier.release.add_permits(1);
 
-        let err = update
+        let err = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(30), update)
             .await
+            .expect("tier update should finish after the reference proof barrier releases")
             .expect("tier update task should join")
             .expect_err("a reference proof cannot authorize publication across a fence revision change");
         let TierConfigUpdateError::Publish(err) = err else {