diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/commoncmd/check_provisioning_source.sh b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/commoncmd/check_provisioning_source.sh
index 9b6f7f632..ea18505a7 100755
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/commoncmd/check_provisioning_source.sh
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/commoncmd/check_provisioning_source.sh
@@ -202,10 +202,11 @@ if [ "$SN_STATE" != ok ]; then
     RC=1
 fi
 
-# The management node provisioned the service node over http, so its log gains lines on every
-# hierarchical run. A log with nothing new cannot show that the management node served nothing.
-if [ "$MN_STATE" != ok ] || [ "$MN_NEW" -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "provisioning source error: no httpd access log with new entries could be read on $MN" >&2
+# An empty log makes "the management node served nothing" a property of the file, not a
+# measurement. New lines are NOT required: the service node is provisioned before the baseline, so
+# after it a correct hierarchical run leaves the management node's log unchanged.
+if [ "$MN_STATE" != ok ] || [ "$MN_LINES" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "provisioning source error: no httpd access log with entries could be read on $MN" >&2
     RC=1
 fi
 
diff --git a/xCAT-test/bats/check_provisioning_source.bats b/xCAT-test/bats/check_provisioning_source.bats
index bcf5b76f9..4f05322ce 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/bats/check_provisioning_source.bats
+++ b/xCAT-test/bats/check_provisioning_source.bats
@@ -198,14 +198,31 @@ seed_logs()
     [[ "$output" == *"no httpd access log could be read on $SN"* ]]
 }
 
-@test "a management node log with nothing new fails the check instead of reading as silence" {
+# The service node is provisioned before the baseline, so on a correct hierarchical run the
+# management node serves nothing after it and its log does not grow. Every other case here appends
+# a management-node line after the baseline, so none of them reaches this state.
+@test "a management node log that does not grow after the baseline still passes" {
     seed_logs
     take_baseline
     access_line "$CN_IP" 12345678 /tftpboot/xcat/genesis.kernel >>"$SN_LOG"
 
+    run_check
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"provisioning source ok"* ]]
+}
+
+# The guard the case above relaxes still has a job. An empty log makes "the management node served
+# nothing" a property of the file, not a measurement.
+@test "an empty management node log fails the check instead of passing it" {
+    : >"$MN_LOG"
+    access_line 192.0.2.30 512 /install/rh/x86_64/ >"$SN_LOG"
+    take_baseline
+    access_line "$CN_IP" 12345678 /tftpboot/xcat/genesis.kernel >>"$SN_LOG"
+
     run_check
     [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
-    [[ "$output" == *"no httpd access log with new entries could be read on mn01"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"no httpd access log with entries could be read on"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"provisioning source ok"* ]]
 }
 
 @test "the Debian per-vhost log format is read as the client address" {