diff --git a/test/cli/samples/watch/watch-config-early-update/_config.js b/test/cli/samples/watch/watch-config-early-update/_config.js
index 3af6f00847f..4ae0f0fbddc 100644
--- a/test/cli/samples/watch/watch-config-early-update/_config.js
+++ b/test/cli/samples/watch/watch-config-early-update/_config.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const configFile = path.join(__dirname, 'rollup.config.js');
 let stopUpdate;
 
 module.exports = {
+	solo: true,
 	description: 'immediately reloads the config file if a change happens while it is parsed',
 	command: 'rollup -cw',
 	before() {
@@ -45,9 +46,13 @@ module.exports = {
 	},
 	after() {
 		unlinkSync(configFile);
+		stopUpdate();
+		console.error('STOPPED after');
 	},
 	abortOnStderr(data) {
+		console.error('DATA:', JSON.stringify(data));
 		if (data === 'initial\n') {
+			console.error('start retry');
 			stopUpdate = writeAndRetry(
 				configFile,
 				`
@@ -62,7 +67,12 @@ module.exports = {
 			);
 			return false;
 		}
+		console.error(
+			`checking for: created _actual${path.sep}output2.js`,
+			data.includes(`created _actual${path.sep}output2.js`)
+		);
 		if (data.includes(`created _actual${path.sep}output2.js`)) {
+			console.error('STOP update');
 			stopUpdate();
 			return true;
 		}