diff --git a/test/pylib/rest_client.py b/test/pylib/rest_client.py
index 93e239d11d..67bfced5bb 100644
--- a/test/pylib/rest_client.py
+++ b/test/pylib/rest_client.py
@@ -292,7 +292,8 @@ class ScyllaRESTAPIClient():
         """Repair the given table and wait for it to complete"""
         sequence_number = await self.client.post_json(f"/storage_service/repair_async/{keyspace}", host=node_ip, params={"columnFamilies": table})
         status = await self.client.get_json(f"/storage_service/repair_status", host=node_ip, params={"id": str(sequence_number)})
-        return status
+        if status != 'SUCCESSFUL':
+            raise Exception(f"Repair id {sequence_number} on node {node_ip} for table {keyspace}.{table} failed: status={status}")
 
 class ScyllaMetrics:
     def __init__(self, lines: list[str]):
diff --git a/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_tablets.py b/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_tablets.py
index cbcd18de27..60f704a9ff 100644
--- a/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_tablets.py
+++ b/test/topology_experimental_raft/test_tablets.py
@@ -66,6 +66,16 @@ async def get_tablet_replica(manager: ManagerClient, server: ServerInfo, keyspac
     replicas = await get_tablet_replicas(manager, server, keyspace_name, table_name, token)
     return replicas[0]
 
+async def repair_on_node(manager: ManagerClient, server: ServerInfo, servers: list[ServerInfo]):
+    node = server.ip_addr
+    await manager.servers_see_each_other(servers)
+    live_nodes_wanted = [s.ip_addr for s in servers]
+    live_nodes = await manager.api.get_alive_endpoints(node)
+    live_nodes_wanted.sort()
+    live_nodes.sort()
+    assert live_nodes == live_nodes_wanted
+    logger.info(f"Repair table on node {node} live_nodes={live_nodes} live_nodes_wanted={live_nodes_wanted}")
+    await manager.api.repair(node, "test", "test")
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_tablet_metadata_propagates_with_schema_changes_in_snapshot_mode(manager: ManagerClient):
@@ -396,8 +406,7 @@ async def test_tablet_repair(manager: ManagerClient):
     keys = range(256)
     await asyncio.gather(*[cql.run_async(f"INSERT INTO test.test (pk, c) VALUES ({k}, {k});") for k in keys])
 
-    logger.info("Repair table")
-    await manager.api.repair(servers[0].ip_addr, "test", "test")
+    await repair_on_node(manager, servers[0], servers)
 
     async def check():
         logger.info("Checking table")
@@ -410,7 +419,6 @@ async def test_tablet_repair(manager: ManagerClient):
 
     await cql.run_async("DROP KEYSPACE test;")
 
-@pytest.mark.skip(reason="failing a lot, see https://github.com/scylladb/scylladb/issues/16859")
 @pytest.mark.repair
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_tablet_missing_data_repair(manager: ManagerClient):
@@ -440,8 +448,8 @@ async def test_tablet_missing_data_repair(manager: ManagerClient):
         logger.info(f"Started server {idx}");
 
     await wait_for_cql_and_get_hosts(cql, servers, time.time() + 60)
-    logger.info("Repair table")
-    await manager.api.repair(servers[0].ip_addr, "test", "test")
+
+    await repair_on_node(manager, servers[0], servers)
 
     async def check():
         logger.info("Checking table")