diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_xds_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_xds_tests.py
index e53557c4afc..42ed2a84b84 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_xds_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_xds_tests.py
@@ -1489,58 +1489,59 @@ def test_timeout(gcp, original_backend_service, instance_group):
     # A list of tuples (testcase_name, {client_config}, {expected_results})
     test_cases = [
         (
-            'app_timeout_exceeded',
-            # UnaryCall only with sleep-2; timeout=1s; calls timeout.
+            'timeout_exceeded (UNARY_CALL), timeout_different_route (EMPTY_CALL)',
+            # UnaryCall and EmptyCall both sleep-4.
+            # UnaryCall timeouts, EmptyCall succeeds.
             {
                 'rpc_types': [
                     messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
+                    messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.EMPTY_CALL,
                 ],
                 'metadata': [
                     (messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
-                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-2'),
+                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-4'),
+                    (messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.EMPTY_CALL,
+                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-4'),
                 ],
-                'timeout_sec': 1,
             },
             {
                 'UNARY_CALL': 4,  # DEADLINE_EXCEEDED
+                'EMPTY_CALL': 0,
             },
         ),
         (
-            'timeout_not_exceeded',
-            # UnaryCall only with no sleep; calls succeed.
+            'app_timeout_exceeded',
+            # UnaryCall only with sleep-2; timeout=1s; calls timeout.
             {
                 'rpc_types': [
                     messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
                 ],
+                'metadata': [
+                    (messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
+                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-2'),
+                ],
+                'timeout_sec': 1,
             },
             {
-                'UNARY_CALL': 0,
+                'UNARY_CALL': 4,  # DEADLINE_EXCEEDED
             },
         ),
         (
-            'timeout_exceeded (UNARY_CALL), timeout_different_route (EMPTY_CALL)',
-            # UnaryCall and EmptyCall both sleep-4.
-            # UnaryCall timeouts, EmptyCall succeeds.
+            'timeout_not_exceeded',
+            # UnaryCall only with no sleep; calls succeed.
             {
                 'rpc_types': [
                     messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
-                    messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.EMPTY_CALL,
-                ],
-                'metadata': [
-                    (messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.UNARY_CALL,
-                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-4'),
-                    (messages_pb2.ClientConfigureRequest.RpcType.EMPTY_CALL,
-                     'rpc-behavior', 'sleep-4'),
                 ],
             },
             {
-                'UNARY_CALL': 4,  # DEADLINE_EXCEEDED
-                'EMPTY_CALL': 0,
+                'UNARY_CALL': 0,
             },
-        ),
+        )
     ]
 
     try:
+        first_case = True
         for (testcase_name, client_config, expected_results) in test_cases:
             logger.info('starting case %s', testcase_name)
             configure_client(**client_config)
@@ -1552,6 +1553,9 @@ def test_timeout(gcp, original_backend_service, instance_group):
             # Each attempt takes 10 seconds; 20 attempts is equivalent to 200
             # second timeout.
             attempt_count = 20
+            if first_case:
+                attempt_count = 120
+                first_case = False
             before_stats = get_client_accumulated_stats()
             if not before_stats.stats_per_method:
                 raise ValueError(