diff --git a/test/inductor/test_async_compile.py b/test/inductor/test_async_compile.py
index a0e1ffef0dca..5a61ea851eae 100644
--- a/test/inductor/test_async_compile.py
+++ b/test/inductor/test_async_compile.py
@@ -50,13 +50,21 @@ class TestAsyncCompile(TestCase):
         with config.patch(worker_start_method="subprocess", compile_threads=8):
             async_compile = AsyncCompile()
             AsyncCompile.wait_pool_ready()
-            # Working around bug in wait_pool_ready()
-            async_compile._ready_future.result(timeout=120)
             with self.assertRaises(SubprocException):
                 async_compile.triton(
                     "fake_kernel_name", source_code="This definitely doesn't exist"
                 ).result()
 
+    @requires_gpu()
+    @requires_triton()
+    def test_wait_pool_ready(self):
+        shutdown_compile_workers()
+
+        with config.patch(worker_start_method="subprocess", compile_threads=8):
+            AsyncCompile.wait_pool_ready()
+            self.assertTrue(AsyncCompile._ready_future.done())
+            self.assertTrue(AsyncCompile.use_process_pool())
+
     @requires_gpu()
     @requires_triton()
     @patch("torch._inductor.runtime.coordinate_descent_tuner.CoordescTuner.autotune")
diff --git a/torch/_inductor/async_compile.py b/torch/_inductor/async_compile.py
index 97be0539a498..1f3e2f1eabf6 100644
--- a/torch/_inductor/async_compile.py
+++ b/torch/_inductor/async_compile.py
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ def shutdown_compile_workers() -> None:
     """Shut down all outstanding compile-worker pools."""
     for pool in _pool_set:
         pool.shutdown()
+    AsyncCompile._ready_future = None
     after_fork()
 
 
@@ -308,8 +309,8 @@ class AsyncCompile:
 
     @classmethod
     def wait_pool_ready(cls, timeout=120) -> None:
-        if cls.use_process_pool():
-            assert cls._ready_future is not None
+        cls.use_process_pool()
+        if cls._ready_future is not None:
             cls._ready_future.result(timeout=timeout)
 
     @classmethod