diff --git a/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go b/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
index f05173c688..fd3f1be54b 100644
--- a/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
+++ b/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
@@ -147,12 +147,12 @@ func (r *CleanupRunner) Run(ctx context.Context, _ string, logs io.Writer) error
 	if err == nil && build.Job.Status.Active() {
 		// mark the build as canceled
 		logger.Info(ctx, "canceling workspace build", slog.F("build_id", build.ID), slog.F("workspace_id", r.workspaceID))
-		if err = r.client.CancelWorkspaceBuild(ctx, build.ID, codersdk.CancelWorkspaceBuildParams{}); err == nil {
-			// Wait for the job to cancel before we delete it
-			_ = waitForBuild(ctx, logs, r.client, build.ID) // it will return a "build canceled" error
-		} else {
-			logger.Warn(ctx, "failed to cancel workspace build, attempting to delete anyway", slog.Error(err))
+		if err = r.client.CancelWorkspaceBuild(ctx, build.ID, codersdk.CancelWorkspaceBuildParams{}); err != nil {
+			logger.Warn(ctx, "failed to cancel workspace build", slog.Error(err))
 		}
+		// Wait for either the build or the cancellation to finish
+		// either is necessary or we'll fail at the delete step.
+		_ = waitForBuild(ctx, logs, r.client, build.ID) // it will return a "build canceled" error
 	} else {
 		logger.Warn(ctx, "unable to lookup latest workspace build, attempting to delete anyway", slog.Error(err))
 	}