diff --git a/pynats/client.py b/pynats/client.py
index 812d40b..8ccb309 100644
--- a/pynats/client.py
+++ b/pynats/client.py
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ def callback(message: NATSMessage) -> None:
         sub = self.subscribe(reply_subject, callback=callback, max_messages=1)
         self.auto_unsubscribe(sub)
         self.publish(subject, payload=payload, reply=reply_subject)
-        self.wait(count=1)
+        while sub.sid not in reply_messages:
+            self.wait(count=1)
 
         return reply_messages[sub.sid]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 858f7d4..aeb7c5b 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -221,3 +221,20 @@ def worker(client, connected_event):
     client.close()
     thread.join(5)
     assert not thread.is_alive(), "thread did not finish"
+
+
+def test_request_with_existing_subscription(nats_plain_url):
+    received = []
+    with NATSClient(nats_plain_url, socket_timeout=2) as client:
+
+        def callback(message):
+            received.append(message)
+            client.publish(message.reply, payload=b"response")
+
+        sub = client.subscribe("request-with-subscription", callback=callback)
+        response = client.request("request-with-subscription", payload=b"question")
+
+        assert response.payload == b"response"
+        assert len(received) == 1
+        assert received[0].sid == sub.sid
+        assert received[0].payload == b"question"
diff --git a/tests/test_request_interleaving.py b/tests/test_request_interleaving.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb96503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_request_interleaving.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import io
+from unittest.mock import Mock
+
+import pytest
+
+from pynats import NATSClient
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("unrelated_count", [0, 1, 3])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("with_ping", [False, True])
+def test_request_waits_for_its_reply(unrelated_count, with_ping):
+    client = NATSClient()
+    client._socket = Mock()
+    received = []
+    sub = client.subscribe("events", callback=received.append)
+
+    # request() allocates the next subscription id for its temporary inbox.
+    reply_sid = client._ssid
+    data = b""
+    for index in range(unrelated_count):
+        payload = str(index).encode()
+        data += b"MSG events %d %d\r\n" % (sub.sid, len(payload))
+        data += payload + b"\r\n"
+    if with_ping:
+        data += b"PING\r\n"
+    data += b"MSG _INBOX.reply %d 5\r\nreply\r\n" % reply_sid
+    client._socket_file = io.BytesIO(data)
+
+    response = client.request("service", payload=b"question")
+
+    assert response.sid == reply_sid
+    assert response.payload == b"reply"
+    assert [message.payload for message in received] == [
+        str(index).encode() for index in range(unrelated_count)
+    ]
+    assert sub.received_messages == unrelated_count
+    assert sub.sid in client._subs
+    assert reply_sid not in client._subs
+    if with_ping:
+        assert any(
+            call[0] == (b"PONG\r\n",) for call in client._socket.sendall.call_args_list
+        )