diff --git a/spec/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller_spec.rb
index fb4a4721a58..c880da1e36a 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller_spec.rb
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe Projects::PipelinesController do
   end
 
   describe 'GET show JSON' do
-    let!(:pipeline) { create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job, project: project) }
+    let(:pipeline) { create(:ci_pipeline_with_one_job, project: project) }
 
     it 'returns the pipeline' do
       get_pipeline_json
@@ -49,20 +49,48 @@ describe Projects::PipelinesController do
       expect(json_response['details']).to have_key 'stages'
     end
 
-    context 'when the pipeline has multiple jobs' do
+    context 'when the pipeline has multiple stages and groups' do
+      before do
+        RequestStore.begin!
+
+        create_build('build', 0, 'build')
+        create_build('test', 1, 'rspec 0')
+        create_build('deploy', 2, 'production')
+        create_build('post deploy', 3, 'pages 0')
+      end
+
+      after do
+        RequestStore.end!
+        RequestStore.clear!
+      end
+
+      let(:project) { create(:project) }
+      let(:pipeline) do
+        create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, user: user, sha: project.commit.id)
+      end
+
       it 'does not perform N + 1 queries' do
         control_count = ActiveRecord::QueryRecorder.new { get_pipeline_json }.count
 
-        create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline)
+        create_build('test', 1, 'rspec 1')
+        create_build('test', 1, 'spinach 0')
+        create_build('test', 1, 'spinach 1')
+        create_build('test', 1, 'audit')
+        create_build('post deploy', 3, 'pages 1')
+        create_build('post deploy', 3, 'pages 2')
 
-        # The plus 2 is needed to group and sort
-        expect { get_pipeline_json }.not_to exceed_query_limit(control_count + 2)
+        new_count = ActiveRecord::QueryRecorder.new { get_pipeline_json }.count
+        expect(new_count).to be_within(12).of(control_count)
       end
     end
 
     def get_pipeline_json
       get :show, namespace_id: project.namespace, project_id: project, id: pipeline, format: :json
     end
+
+    def create_build(stage, stage_idx, name)
+      create(:ci_build, pipeline: pipeline, stage: stage, stage_idx: stage_idx, name: name)
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'GET stages.json' do