diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_distributed.py b/xarray/tests/test_distributed.py
index a2021e30e0f..77caf6c6750 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_distributed.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_distributed.py
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ async def test_async(c, s, a, b) -> None:
     assert dask.is_dask_collection(y.var1)
     assert dask.is_dask_collection(y.var2)
 
-    z = y.persist()
+    z = c.persist(y)
     assert str(z)
 
     assert dask.is_dask_collection(z)