diff --git a/tests/rptest/services/admin.py b/tests/rptest/services/admin.py
index 37f7eac0b2b7..1d8a47bc148b 100644
--- a/tests/rptest/services/admin.py
+++ b/tests/rptest/services/admin.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def _get_stable_configuration(
                 self.redpanda.logger.debug(f"doesn't have leader")
                 return None
             if last_leader < 0:
-                last_leader = meta["leader_id"]
+                last_leader = int(meta["leader_id"])
                 self.redpanda.logger.debug(f"get leader:{last_leader}")
             if last_leader not in replicas:
                 self.redpanda.logger.debug(
@@ -255,9 +255,11 @@ def is_leader_stable():
             info = self.wait_stable_configuration(topic, partition, namespace,
                                                   replication, timeout_s,
                                                   hosts)
-            return check(info.leader)
+            if check(info.leader):
+                return True, info.leader
+            return False
 
-        wait_until(
+        return wait_until_result(
             is_leader_stable,
             timeout_sec=timeout_s,
             backoff_sec=1,
diff --git a/tests/rptest/tests/partition_movement_test.py b/tests/rptest/tests/partition_movement_test.py
index 9850a147621b..3bb8ea63c3ab 100644
--- a/tests/rptest/tests/partition_movement_test.py
+++ b/tests/rptest/tests/partition_movement_test.py
@@ -541,7 +541,25 @@ def test_deletion_stops_move(self):
         # shutdown target node to make sure that move will never complete
         node = self.redpanda.get_node(replacement['node_id'])
         self.redpanda.stop_node(node)
-        admin.set_partition_replicas(topic, partition, target_assignment)
+
+        # checking that a controller has leader (just in case
+        # the stopped node happened to be previous leader)
+        alive_hosts = [
+            n.account.hostname for n in self.redpanda.nodes if n != node
+        ]
+        controller_leader = admin.await_stable_leader(
+            topic="controller",
+            partition=0,
+            namespace="redpanda",
+            hosts=alive_hosts,
+            check=lambda node_id: node_id != self.redpanda.idx(node),
+            timeout_s=30)
+        controller_leader = self.redpanda.get_node(controller_leader)
+
+        admin.set_partition_replicas(topic,
+                                     partition,
+                                     target_assignment,
+                                     node=controller_leader)
 
         # check that the status is in progress