diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store_test.go
index fedbcce3e41..1b0a0e436a0 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store_test.go
@@ -1213,6 +1213,7 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 		expectError                bool
 		expectRVTooLarge           bool
 		expectRV                   string
+		expectRVFunc               func(string) error
 	}{
 		{
 			name:        "rejects invalid resource version",
@@ -1385,7 +1386,7 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 			expectContinue:             true,
 			expectedRemainingItemCount: utilpointer.Int64Ptr(1),
 			rv:                         "0",
-			expectRV:                   list.ResourceVersion,
+			expectRVFunc:               resourceVersionNotOlderThan(list.ResourceVersion),
 		},
 		{
 			name:   "test List with limit at resource version 0 match=NotOlderThan",
@@ -1400,7 +1401,7 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedRemainingItemCount: utilpointer.Int64Ptr(1),
 			rv:                         "0",
 			rvMatch:                    metav1.ResourceVersionMatchNotOlderThan,
-			expectRV:                   list.ResourceVersion,
+			expectRVFunc:               resourceVersionNotOlderThan(list.ResourceVersion),
 		},
 		{
 			name:   "test List with limit at resource version before first write and match=Exact",
@@ -1612,6 +1613,11 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 					t.Errorf("resourceVersion in list response want=%s, got=%s", tt.expectRV, out.ResourceVersion)
 				}
 			}
+			if tt.expectRVFunc != nil {
+				if err := tt.expectRVFunc(out.ResourceVersion); err != nil {
+					t.Errorf("resourceVersion in list response invalid: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
 			if len(tt.expectedOut) != len(out.Items) {
 				t.Fatalf("length of list want=%d, got=%d", len(tt.expectedOut), len(out.Items))
 			}
@@ -2106,11 +2112,13 @@ func TestListInconsistentContinuation(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(out.Continue) == 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("No continuation token set")
 	}
+	validateResourceVersion := resourceVersionNotOlderThan(lastRVString)
 	expectNoDiff(t, "incorrect second page", []example.Pod{*preset[1].storedObj}, out.Items)
-	if out.ResourceVersion != lastRVString {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected list resource version to be %s, got %s", lastRVString, out.ResourceVersion)
+	if err := validateResourceVersion(out.ResourceVersion); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	continueFromThirdItem := out.Continue
+	resolvedResourceVersionFromThirdItem := out.ResourceVersion
 	out = &example.PodList{}
 	options = storage.ListOptions{
 		ResourceVersion: "0",
@@ -2124,8 +2132,8 @@ func TestListInconsistentContinuation(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected continuation token set")
 	}
 	expectNoDiff(t, "incorrect third page", []example.Pod{*preset[2].storedObj}, out.Items)
-	if out.ResourceVersion != lastRVString {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected list resource version to be %s, got %s", lastRVString, out.ResourceVersion)
+	if out.ResourceVersion != resolvedResourceVersionFromThirdItem {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected list resource version to be %s, got %s", resolvedResourceVersionFromThirdItem, out.ResourceVersion)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/watcher_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/watcher_test.go
index af6d0ba02cf..27f281808e7 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/watcher_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/watcher_test.go
@@ -353,8 +353,13 @@ func TestProgressNotify(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Watch failed: %v", err)
 	}
-	result := &example.Pod{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{ResourceVersion: out.ResourceVersion}}
-	testCheckResult(t, watch.Bookmark, w, result)
+	testCheckResultFunc(t, watch.Bookmark, w, func(object runtime.Object) error {
+		pod, ok := object.(*example.Pod)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("got %T, not *example.Pod", object)
+		}
+		return resourceVersionNotOlderThan(out.ResourceVersion)(pod.ResourceVersion)
+	})
 }
 
 type testWatchStruct struct {
@@ -382,14 +387,44 @@ func testCheckEventType(t *testing.T, expectEventType watch.EventType, w watch.I
 	}
 }
 
+// resourceVersionNotOlderThan returns a function to validate resource versions. Resource versions
+// referring to points in logical time before the sentinel generate an error. All logical times as
+// new as the sentinel or newer generate no error.
+func resourceVersionNotOlderThan(sentinel string) func(string) error {
+	return func(resourceVersion string) error {
+		objectVersioner := APIObjectVersioner{}
+		actualRV, err := objectVersioner.ParseResourceVersion(resourceVersion)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		expectedRV, err := objectVersioner.ParseResourceVersion(sentinel)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if actualRV < expectedRV {
+			return fmt.Errorf("expected a resourceVersion no smaller than than %d, but got %d", expectedRV, actualRV)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func testCheckResult(t *testing.T, expectEventType watch.EventType, w watch.Interface, expectObj *example.Pod) {
+	testCheckResultFunc(t, expectEventType, w, func(object runtime.Object) error {
+		expectNoDiff(t, "incorrect object", expectObj, object)
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
+func testCheckResultFunc(t *testing.T, expectEventType watch.EventType, w watch.Interface, check func(object runtime.Object) error) {
 	select {
 	case res := <-w.ResultChan():
 		if res.Type != expectEventType {
 			t.Errorf("event type want=%v, get=%v", expectEventType, res.Type)
 			return
 		}
-		expectNoDiff(t, "incorrect obj", expectObj, res.Object)
+		if err := check(res.Object); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
 	case <-time.After(wait.ForeverTestTimeout):
 		t.Errorf("time out after waiting %v on ResultChan", wait.ForeverTestTimeout)
 	}