diff --git a/jax/test_util.py b/jax/test_util.py
index a5e9eb38b4cd..2e9652a26c70 100644
--- a/jax/test_util.py
+++ b/jax/test_util.py
@@ -314,6 +314,22 @@ def f_vjp(*args):
   _check_grads(f, args, order)
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def count_device_put():
+  device_put = xla.device_put
+  count = [0]
+
+  def device_put_and_count(*args, **kwargs):
+    count[0] += 1
+    return device_put(*args, **kwargs)
+
+  xla.device_put = device_put_and_count
+  try:
+    yield count
+  finally:
+    xla.device_put = device_put
+
+
 @contextmanager
 def count_primitive_compiles():
   xla.xla_primitive_callable.cache_clear()
diff --git a/tests/api_test.py b/tests/api_test.py
index f3f562e5c4f7..451794c98bf1 100644
--- a/tests/api_test.py
+++ b/tests/api_test.py
@@ -2140,17 +2140,17 @@ def test_xla_computation_zeros_doesnt_device_put(self):
     if not config.omnistaging_enabled:
       raise unittest.SkipTest("test is omnistaging-specific")
 
-    count = 0
-    def device_put_and_count(*args, **kwargs):
-      nonlocal count
-      count += 1
-      return orig_device_put(*args, **kwargs)
-    orig_device_put, xla.device_put = xla.device_put, device_put_and_count
-    try:
+    with jtu.count_device_put() as count:
       api.xla_computation(lambda: jnp.zeros(3))()
-    finally:
-      xla.device_put = orig_device_put
-    self.assertEqual(count, 0)
+    self.assertEqual(count[0], 0)
+
+  # TODO(mattjj): Enable this after fixing convert_element_type.
+  @unittest.skipIf(True, "broken by convert_element_type.")
+  def test_random_split_doesnt_device_put(self):
+    key = jax.random.PRNGKey(1)
+    with jtu.count_device_put() as count:
+      key, _ = jax.random.split(key, 2)
+    self.assertEqual(count[0], 0)
 
   def test_join_concrete_arrays_with_omnistaging(self):
     # https://github.com/google/jax/issues/4622