diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsub/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/PublisherImplTest.java b/google-cloud-pubsub/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/PublisherImplTest.java
index 5ee5fdcfc..c68367601 100644
--- a/google-cloud-pubsub/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/PublisherImplTest.java
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsub/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/PublisherImplTest.java
@@ -153,8 +153,7 @@ public void testPublishByNumBatchedMessages() throws Exception {
 
     assertFalse(publishFuture3.isDone());
 
-    ApiFuture<String> publishFuture4 =
-        publisher.publish(PubsubMessage.newBuilder().setData(ByteString.copyFromUtf8("D")).build());
+    ApiFuture<String> publishFuture4 = sendTestMessage(publisher, "D");
 
     assertEquals("3", publishFuture3.get());
     assertEquals("4", publishFuture4.get());