diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge/test/emqx_bridge_api_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge/test/emqx_bridge_api_SUITE.erl
index 6b160f3b3..fdbbc5376 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge/test/emqx_bridge_api_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge/test/emqx_bridge_api_SUITE.erl
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ t_bridges_probe(Config) ->
     ?assertMatch(
         {ok, 400, #{
             <<"code">> := <<"TEST_FAILED">>,
-            <<"message">> := <<"Connection refused">>
+            <<"message">> := <<"Connection refused", _/binary>>
         }},
         request_json(
             post,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/src/emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/src/emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector.erl
index 02cf6595f..6b9a40123 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/src/emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/src/emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector.erl
@@ -563,6 +563,7 @@ log_connect_error_reason(Level, Reason, Name) ->
 
 explain_error(econnrefused) ->
     <<
+        "Connection refused. "
         "This error indicates that your connection attempt to the MQTT server was rejected. "
         "In simpler terms, the server you tried to connect to refused your request. "
         "There can be multiple reasons for this. "
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/test/emqx_bridge_mqtt_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/test/emqx_bridge_mqtt_SUITE.erl
index e1af22c3d..42cf9d2b8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/test/emqx_bridge_mqtt_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_mqtt/test/emqx_bridge_mqtt_SUITE.erl
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@
 -include_lib("common_test/include/ct.hrl").
 -include_lib("snabbkaffe/include/snabbkaffe.hrl").
 
--import(emqx_common_test_helpers, [on_exit/1]).
-
 %% output functions
 -export([inspect/3]).
 
@@ -1027,40 +1025,38 @@ t_mqtt_conn_bridge_egress_async_reconnect(_) ->
     ct:sleep(1000),
 
     %% stop the listener 1883 to make the bridge disconnected
-    ok = emqx_listeners:stop_listener('tcp:default'),
-    ct:sleep(1500),
-    ?assertMatch(
-        #{<<"status">> := Status} when
-            Status == <<"connecting">> orelse Status == <<"disconnected">>,
-        request_bridge(BridgeIDEgress)
-    ),
+    ?check_trace(
+        begin
+            ok = emqx_listeners:stop_listener('tcp:default'),
+            ct:sleep(1500),
+            ?assertMatch(
+                #{<<"status">> := Status} when
+                    Status == <<"connecting">> orelse Status == <<"disconnected">>,
+                request_bridge(BridgeIDEgress)
+            ),
 
-    %% start the listener 1883 to make the bridge reconnected
-    ok = emqx_listeners:start_listener('tcp:default'),
-    timer:sleep(1500),
-    ?assertMatch(
-        #{<<"status">> := <<"connected">>},
-        request_bridge(BridgeIDEgress)
-    ),
+            %% start the listener 1883 to make the bridge reconnected
+            ok = emqx_listeners:start_listener('tcp:default'),
+            timer:sleep(1500),
+            ?assertMatch(
+                #{<<"status">> := <<"connected">>},
+                request_bridge(BridgeIDEgress)
+            ),
 
-    N = stop_publisher(Publisher),
+            N = stop_publisher(Publisher),
 
-    %% all those messages should eventually be delivered
-    [
-        assert_mqtt_msg_received(RemoteTopic, Payload)
-     || I <- lists:seq(1, N),
-        Payload <- [integer_to_binary(I)]
-    ],
-
-    Trace = snabbkaffe:collect_trace(50),
-    ?assert(
-        lists:any(
-            fun(K) ->
-                maps:get(msg, K, not_found) =:=
-                    emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector_econnrefused_error
-            end,
-            Trace
-        )
+            %% all those messages should eventually be delivered
+            [
+                assert_mqtt_msg_received(RemoteTopic, Payload)
+             || I <- lists:seq(1, N),
+                Payload <- [integer_to_binary(I)]
+            ],
+            ok
+        end,
+        fun(Trace) ->
+            ?assertMatch([_ | _], ?of_kind(emqx_bridge_mqtt_connector_econnrefused_error, Trace)),
+            ok
+        end
     ),
     ok.