diff --git a/test/core/iomgr/pollset_windows_starvation_test.cc b/test/core/iomgr/pollset_windows_starvation_test.cc
index de26b9aa4b3..eed57b10075 100644
--- a/test/core/iomgr/pollset_windows_starvation_test.cc
+++ b/test/core/iomgr/pollset_windows_starvation_test.cc
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  *
  */
-#if defined(GRPC_WINSOCK_SOCKET)
-
 #include <vector>
 
 #include <grpc/grpc.h>
@@ -31,36 +29,43 @@
 #include "src/core/lib/surface/init.h"
 #include "test/core/util/test_config.h"
 
+#if defined(GRPC_WINSOCK_SOCKET)
+
+// At least three threads are required to reproduce #18848
+const size_t THREADS = 3;
+
 struct ThreadParams {
   gpr_cv cv;
   gpr_mu mu;
   int complete;
+  int queuing;
+  gpr_mu* pollset_mu[THREADS];
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   grpc_init();
 
-  // Create three threads that all start queueing for work.
+  // Create the threads that all start queueing for work.
   //
   // The first one becomes the active poller for work and the two other
   // threads go into the poller queue.
   //
-  // When work arrives, the first one notifies the next active poller,
+  // When work arrives, the first one notifies the next queued poller,
   // this wakes the second thread - however all this does is return from
   // the grpc_pollset_work function. It's up to that thread to figure
   // out if it still wants to queue for more work or if it should kick
   // other pollers.
   //
   // Previously that kick only affected pollers in the same pollset, thus
-  // leaving the third thread stuck in the poller queue. Now the pollset-
+  // leaving the other threads stuck in the poller queue. Now the pollset-
   // specific grpc_pollset_kick will also kick pollers from other pollsets
   // if there are no pollers in the current pollset. This frees up the
-  // last thread and completes the test.
+  // last threads and completes the test.
   ThreadParams params = {};
   gpr_cv_init(&params.cv);
   gpr_mu_init(&params.mu);
   std::vector<grpc_core::Thread> threads;
-  for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+  for (int i = 0; i < THREADS; i++) {
     grpc_core::Thread thd(
         "Poller",
         [](void* params) {
@@ -71,46 +76,66 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
           grpc_pollset pollset = {};
           grpc_pollset_init(&pollset, &mu);
 
+          // Lock the pollset mutex before notifying the test runner thread that
+          // one more thread is queuing. This allows the test runner thread to
+          // wait for all threads to be queued before sending the first kick by
+          // waiting for the mutexes to be released, which happens in
+          // gpr_pollset_work when the poller is queued.
           gpr_mu_lock(mu);
 
+          gpr_mu_lock(&tparams->mu);
+          tparams->pollset_mu[tparams->queuing] = mu;
+          tparams->queuing++;
+          gpr_cv_signal(&tparams->cv);
+          gpr_mu_unlock(&tparams->mu);
+
           // Queue for work and once we're done, make sure to kick the remaining
           // threads.
-          grpc_millis deadline = grpc_timespec_to_millis_round_up(
-              grpc_timeout_seconds_to_deadline(5));
           grpc_error* error;
-          error = grpc_pollset_work(&pollset, NULL, deadline);
+          error = grpc_pollset_work(&pollset, NULL, GRPC_MILLIS_INF_FUTURE);
           error = grpc_pollset_kick(&pollset, NULL);
 
           gpr_mu_unlock(mu);
 
-          {
-            gpr_mu_lock(&tparams->mu);
-            tparams->complete++;
-            gpr_cv_signal(&tparams->cv);
-            gpr_mu_unlock(&tparams->mu);
-          }
+          gpr_mu_lock(&tparams->mu);
+          tparams->complete++;
+          gpr_cv_signal(&tparams->cv);
+          gpr_mu_unlock(&tparams->mu);
         },
         &params);
     thd.Start();
     threads.push_back(std::move(thd));
   }
 
-  // Wait for the threads to start working and then kick one of them.
-  gpr_sleep_until(grpc_timeout_milliseconds_to_deadline(10));
+  // Wait for all three threads to be queuing.
+  gpr_mu_lock(&params.mu);
+  while (
+      params.queuing != THREADS &&
+      !gpr_cv_wait(&params.cv, &params.mu, gpr_inf_future(GPR_CLOCK_REALTIME)))
+    ;
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&params.mu);
+
+  // Wait for the mutexes to be released. This indicates that the threads have
+  // entered the work wait.
+  //
+  // At least currently these are essentially all references to the same global
+  // pollset mutex, but we are still waiting on them once for each thread in
+  // the case this ever changes.
+  for (int i = 0; i < THREADS; i++) {
+    gpr_mu_lock(params.pollset_mu[i]);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(params.pollset_mu[i]);
+  }
+
   grpc_iocp_kick();
 
   // Wait for the threads to complete.
-  gpr_timespec deadline = grpc_timeout_seconds_to_deadline(1);
   gpr_mu_lock(&params.mu);
-  while (params.complete != 3 && !gpr_cv_wait(&params.cv, &params.mu, deadline))
+  while (
+      params.complete != THREADS &&
+      !gpr_cv_wait(&params.cv, &params.mu, gpr_inf_future(GPR_CLOCK_REALTIME)))
     ;
-  if (params.complete != 3) {
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&params.mu);
-    for (auto& t : threads) t.Join();
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  }
-
   gpr_mu_unlock(&params.mu);
+
   for (auto& t : threads) t.Join();
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }