diff --git a/test/simulation/test.common b/test/simulation/test.common
index 951a794..8ed6ad9 100644
--- a/test/simulation/test.common
+++ b/test/simulation/test.common
@@ -391,9 +391,9 @@ check_packet_port() {
 	for i in $(seq 1 $(get_chronyd_nodes)); do
 		test_message 3 0 "node $i:"
 
-		grep -E -q "	$port	[0-9]+\$" tmp/log.packets && \
+		grep -E -q "^([0-9e.+-]+	){5}$port	" tmp/log.packets && \
 			! grep -E "^[0-9e.+-]+	$i	" tmp/log.packets | \
-			grep -E -q -v "	$port	[0-9]+\$" && \
+			grep -E -q -v "^([0-9e.+-]+	){5}$port	" && \
 			test_ok || test_bad
 		[ $? -eq 0 ] || ret=1
 	done