diff --git a/internal/transport/transport_test.go b/internal/transport/transport_test.go
index f31eda6d2985..6fa9391f498b 100644
--- a/internal/transport/transport_test.go
+++ b/internal/transport/transport_test.go
@@ -2593,19 +2593,21 @@ func TestConnectionError_Unwrap(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestServerOperateHeaderOnEvenStreamID(t *testing.T) {
+// Test gRPC server's operateHeaders on a header with even stream ID.
+// Per [HTTP/2 spec]: Streams initiated by a client MUST use
+// odd-numbered stream identifiers. When received even stream ID, the
+// operateHeader returns error instead of writing the frame to the transport.
+//
+// [HTTP/2 spec]: https://httpwg.org/specs/rfc7540.html#StreamIdentifiers
+func TestServerOperateHeaderFailOnEvenStreamID(t *testing.T) {
 	hf := &http2.HeadersFrame{FrameHeader: http2.FrameHeader{StreamID: 2}}
 	metaHeaderFrame := &http2.MetaHeadersFrame{HeadersFrame: hf}
 	s := http2Server{}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), defaultTestTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
 	err := s.operateHeaders(ctx, metaHeaderFrame, nil)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Error expected on the even stream ID. got %v", err)
-	}
-	possibleErrMsg := "received an illegal stream id: 2"
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), possibleErrMsg) {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected partial error message: %v, got %v", possibleErrMsg, err.Error())
+	want := "received an illegal stream id: 2"
+	if got := err.Error(); got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("http2Server.operateHeaders() returned err: %v; want: %v", got, want)
 	}
-	defer cancel()
-
 }
diff --git a/test/end2end_test.go b/test/end2end_test.go
index 295f06bf2b80..8b34f735bd70 100644
--- a/test/end2end_test.go
+++ b/test/end2end_test.go
@@ -3909,17 +3909,26 @@ func (s) TestClientRequestBodyErrorCloseAfterLength(t *testing.T) {
 //
 // [HTTP/2 spec]: https://httpwg.org/specs/rfc7540.html#StreamIdentifiers
 func (s) TestClientInvalidStreamID(t *testing.T) {
-	te := newTest(t, tcpClearEnv)
-	te.startServer(nil)
-	defer te.tearDown()
-	serverTesterFunc := func(st *serverTester) {
-		st.writeHeadersGRPC(2, "/grpc.testing.TestService/StreamingInputCall", true)
-		_, err := st.fr.ReadFrame()
-		if err != io.EOF {
-			t.Fatalf("Error expected when Client StreamID is even %v", err)
-		}
+	lis, err := net.Listen("tcp", "localhost:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to listen: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer lis.Close()
+	s := grpc.NewServer()
+	defer s.Stop()
+	go s.Serve(lis)
+
+	conn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", lis.Addr().String(), defaultTestTimeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to dial: %v", err)
+	}
+	st := newServerTesterFromConn(t, conn)
+	st.greet()
+	st.writeHeadersGRPC(2, "/grpc.testing.TestService/StreamingInputCall", true)
+	_, err = st.fr.ReadFrame()
+	if err != io.EOF {
+		t.Fatalf("Error expected when Client StreamID is even %v", err)
 	}
-	te.withServerTester(serverTesterFunc)
 }
 
 func testClientRequestBodyErrorCloseAfterLength(t *testing.T, e env) {