diff --git a/tests/jax/distributed_test_base.py b/tests/jax/distributed_test_base.py
index 5e05947399..c65ffbf62b 100644
--- a/tests/jax/distributed_test_base.py
+++ b/tests/jax/distributed_test_base.py
@@ -168,13 +168,16 @@ def count_collectives(splitted_hlo):
             is_sync_collective = "collective_backend_config" in line and sync_symb in line
 
             if is_async_start or is_sync_collective:
-                if is_sync_collective:
-                    is_all_reduce = re.search(r"\ball-reduce\s*\(", line)
-                    is_all_gather = re.search(r"\ball-gather\s*\(", line)
-                else:
+                # Some direct *-start instructions are tagged with
+                # `"is_sync":true`. Classify the explicit async form first so
+                # it is not mistaken for an unsuffixed synchronous collective.
+                if is_async_start:
                     called_collective = get_called_collective_type(line)
                     is_all_reduce = COLL_AR_KEY in txt[0] or called_collective == COLL_AR_KEY
                     is_all_gather = COLL_AG_KEY in txt[0] or called_collective == COLL_AG_KEY
+                else:
+                    is_all_reduce = re.search(r"\ball-reduce\s*\(", line)
+                    is_all_gather = re.search(r"\ball-gather\s*\(", line)
 
                 if is_all_reduce:
                     result[COLL_AR_KEY] += count_bytes(txt)