diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
index 08cd0f0df6..6771e32dc0 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
@@ -2556,7 +2556,7 @@ pub mod harness {
             let walredo_mgr = Arc::new(TestRedoManager);
 
             let tenant = Arc::new(Tenant::new(
-                TenantState::Active,
+                TenantState::Loading,
                 self.conf,
                 TenantConfOpt::from(self.tenant_conf),
                 walredo_mgr,