diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..ce3a3c6680e7b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+import { ISavedObjectsRepository, Logger } from '@kbn/core/server';
+
+import { partiallyUpdateAlert } from '../saved_objects/partially_update_alert';
+import { RunningHandler } from './running_handler';
+
+jest.mock('../saved_objects/partially_update_alert', () => ({
+  partiallyUpdateAlert: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe('isRunning handler', () => {
+  const soClient = jest.fn() as unknown as ISavedObjectsRepository;
+  const logger = {
+    error: jest.fn(),
+  } as unknown as Logger;
+  const ruleTypeId = 'myType';
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    (partiallyUpdateAlert as jest.Mock).mockClear();
+    (logger.error as jest.Mock).mockClear();
+    jest.useFakeTimers();
+  });
+  afterEach(() => {
+    jest.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  test('Should resolve if nothing got started', async () => {
+    (partiallyUpdateAlert as jest.Mock).mockImplementation(() => Promise.resolve('resolve'));
+    const runHandler = new RunningHandler(soClient, logger, ruleTypeId);
+    const resp = await runHandler.waitFor();
+    expect(partiallyUpdateAlert).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    expect(resp).toBe(undefined);
+  });
+
+  test('Should return the promise from partiallyUpdateAlert when the update isRunning has been a success', async () => {
+    (partiallyUpdateAlert as jest.Mock).mockImplementation(() => Promise.resolve('resolve'));
+    const runHandler = new RunningHandler(soClient, logger, ruleTypeId);
+    runHandler.start('9876543210');
+    jest.runAllTimers();
+    const resp = await runHandler.waitFor();
+
+    expect(partiallyUpdateAlert).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect((partiallyUpdateAlert as jest.Mock).mock.calls[0]).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Array [
+        [MockFunction],
+        "9876543210",
+        Object {
+          "running": true,
+        },
+        Object {
+          "ignore404": true,
+          "namespace": undefined,
+          "refresh": false,
+        },
+      ]
+    `);
+    expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    expect(resp).toBe('resolve');
+  });
+
+  test('Should reject when the update isRunning has been a failure', async () => {
+    (partiallyUpdateAlert as jest.Mock).mockImplementation(() =>
+      Promise.reject(new Error('error'))
+    );
+    const runHandler = new RunningHandler(soClient, logger, ruleTypeId);
+    runHandler.start('9876543210');
+    jest.runAllTimers();
+
+    await expect(runHandler.waitFor()).rejects.toThrow();
+    expect(partiallyUpdateAlert).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.ts
index 42a1240a5b4c3b..118f13ab6eed96 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/running_handler.ts
@@ -39,27 +39,33 @@ export class RunningHandler {
 
   public async waitFor(): Promise<void> {
     this.stop();
-    if (!this.isUpdating) return Promise.resolve();
-    else if (this.isUpdating && this.runningPromise) return this.runningPromise;
+    if (this.isUpdating && this.runningPromise) return this.runningPromise;
     else return Promise.resolve();
   }
 
   private setRunning(ruleId: string, namespace?: string) {
     this.isUpdating = true;
-    this.runningPromise = partiallyUpdateAlert(this.client, ruleId, { running: true }, {
-      ignore404: true,
-      namespace: namespace,
-      refresh: false,
-    });
+    this.runningPromise = partiallyUpdateAlert(
+      this.client,
+      ruleId,
+      { running: true },
+      {
+        ignore404: true,
+        namespace,
+        refresh: false,
+      }
+    );
     this.runningPromise
-    .then((mail) => {
-      this.runningPromise = undefined;
-      this.isUpdating = false
-    })
-    .catch((err) => {
-      this.runningPromise = undefined;
-      this.isUpdating = false
-      this.logger.error(`error updating running attribute rule for ${this.ruleTypeId}:${ruleId} ${err.message}`);
-    })
+      .then(() => {
+        this.runningPromise = undefined;
+        this.isUpdating = false;
+      })
+      .catch((err) => {
+        this.runningPromise = undefined;
+        this.isUpdating = false;
+        this.logger.error(
+          `error updating running attribute rule for ${this.ruleTypeId}:${ruleId} ${err.message}`
+        );
+      });
   }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/task_runner.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/task_runner.ts
index 74a9102a1fc791..4606f173b6cc4d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/task_runner.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerting/server/task_runner/task_runner.ts
@@ -150,7 +150,11 @@ export class TaskRunner<
     this.alertingEventLogger = new AlertingEventLogger(this.context.eventLogger);
     this.stackTraceLog = null;
     this.ruleMonitoring = new RuleMonitoringService();
-    this.ruleRunning = new RunningHandler(this.context.internalSavedObjectsRepository, this.logger, loggerId )
+    this.ruleRunning = new RunningHandler(
+      this.context.internalSavedObjectsRepository,
+      this.logger,
+      loggerId
+    );
     this.ruleResult = new RuleResultService();
   }
 
@@ -167,13 +171,19 @@ export class TaskRunner<
     const client = this.context.internalSavedObjectsRepository;
     try {
       await this.ruleRunning.waitFor();
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty
     } catch {}
     try {
-      await partiallyUpdateAlert(client, ruleId, {...attributes, running: false}, {
-        ignore404: true,
-        namespace,
-        refresh: false,
-      });
+      await partiallyUpdateAlert(
+        client,
+        ruleId,
+        { ...attributes, running: false },
+        {
+          ignore404: true,
+          namespace,
+          refresh: false,
+        }
+      );
     } catch (err) {
       this.logger.error(`error updating rule for ${this.ruleType.id}:${ruleId} ${err.message}`);
     }