diff --git a/test/e2e/network/loadbalancer.go b/test/e2e/network/loadbalancer.go
index 379c4858852..83192f672bc 100644
--- a/test/e2e/network/loadbalancer.go
+++ b/test/e2e/network/loadbalancer.go
@@ -299,21 +299,21 @@ var _ = common.SIGDescribe("LoadBalancers", func() {
 		framework.Logf("service port TCP: %d", svcPort)
 
 		ginkgo.By("hitting the TCP service's LoadBalancer")
-		e2eservice.TestReachableHTTP(ctx, tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerCreateTimeout)
+		e2eservice.TestReachableHTTP(ctx, tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerLagTimeout)
 
 		ginkgo.By("Scaling the pods to 0")
 		err = tcpJig.Scale(ctx, 0)
 		framework.ExpectNoError(err)
 
-		ginkgo.By("looking for ICMP REJECT on the TCP service's LoadBalancer")
-		testRejectedHTTP(tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerCreateTimeout)
+		ginkgo.By("hitting the TCP service's LoadBalancer with no backends, no answer expected")
+		testNotReachableHTTP(tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerLagTimeout)
 
 		ginkgo.By("Scaling the pods to 1")
 		err = tcpJig.Scale(ctx, 1)
 		framework.ExpectNoError(err)
 
 		ginkgo.By("hitting the TCP service's LoadBalancer")
-		e2eservice.TestReachableHTTP(ctx, tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerCreateTimeout)
+		e2eservice.TestReachableHTTP(ctx, tcpIngressIP, svcPort, loadBalancerLagTimeout)
 
 		// Change the services back to ClusterIP.
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/network/service.go b/test/e2e/network/service.go
index 7b4e97a626b..462975a1419 100644
--- a/test/e2e/network/service.go
+++ b/test/e2e/network/service.go
@@ -444,21 +444,6 @@ func testNotReachableHTTP(host string, port int, timeout time.Duration) {
 	}
 }
 
-// testRejectedHTTP tests that the given host rejects a HTTP request on the given port.
-func testRejectedHTTP(host string, port int, timeout time.Duration) {
-	pollfn := func() (bool, error) {
-		result := e2enetwork.PokeHTTP(host, port, "/", nil)
-		if result.Status == e2enetwork.HTTPRefused {
-			return true, nil
-		}
-		return false, nil // caller can retry
-	}
-
-	if err := wait.PollImmediate(framework.Poll, timeout, pollfn); err != nil {
-		framework.Failf("HTTP service %v:%v not rejected: %v", host, port, err)
-	}
-}
-
 // UDPPokeParams is a struct for UDP poke parameters.
 type UDPPokeParams struct {
 	Timeout  time.Duration