diff --git a/filebeat/input/filestream/input_test.go b/filebeat/input/filestream/input_test.go
index a257745124b..55b8d2e7fc6 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/filestream/input_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/filestream/input_test.go
@@ -36,18 +36,70 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent-libs/logp"
 )
 
+func BenchmarkFilestream(b *testing.B) {
+	logp.TestingSetup(logp.ToDiscardOutput())
+	lineCount := 10000
+	filename := generateFile(b, lineCount)
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+
+	b.Run("filestream default throughput", func(b *testing.B) {
+		cfg := `
+type: filestream
+prospector.scanner.check_interval: 1s
+paths:
+    - ` + filename + `
+`
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			runFilestreamBenchmark(b, fmt.Sprintf("default-benchmark-%d", i), cfg, lineCount)
+		}
+	})
+
+	b.Run("filestream fingerprint throughput", func(b *testing.B) {
+		cfg := `
+type: filestream
+prospector.scanner:
+  fingerprint.enabled: true
+  check_interval: 1s
+file_identity.fingerprint: ~
+paths:
+  - ` + filename + `
+`
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			runFilestreamBenchmark(b, fmt.Sprintf("fp-benchmark-%d", i), cfg, lineCount)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 // runFilestreamBenchmark runs the entire filestream input with the in-memory registry and the test pipeline.
 // `testID` must be unique for each test run
 // `cfg` must be a valid YAML string containing valid filestream configuration
 // `expEventCount` is an expected amount of produced events
-func runFilestreamBenchmark(t testing.TB, testID string, cfg string, expEventCount int) {
+func runFilestreamBenchmark(b *testing.B, testID string, cfg string, expEventCount int) {
+	// we don't include initialization in the benchmark time
+	b.StopTimer()
+	runner := createFilestreamTestRunner(b, testID, cfg, expEventCount)
+	// this is where the benchmark actually starts
+	b.StartTimer()
+	events := runner(b)
+	require.Len(b, events, expEventCount)
+}
+
+// createFilestreamTestRunner can be used for both benchmarks and regular tests to run a filestream input
+// with the given configuration and event limit.
+// `testID` must be unique for each test run
+// `cfg` must be a valid YAML string containing valid filestream configuration
+// `eventLimit` is an amount of produced events after which the filestream will shutdown
+//
+// returns a runner function that returns produced events.
+func createFilestreamTestRunner(b testing.TB, testID string, cfg string, eventLimit int) func(t testing.TB) []beat.Event {
 	logger := logp.L()
 	c, err := conf.NewConfigWithYAML([]byte(cfg), cfg)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(b, err)
 
-	p := Plugin(logger, createTestStore(t))
+	p := Plugin(logger, createTestStore(b))
 	input, err := p.Manager.Create(c)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(b, err)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	context := v2.Context{
@@ -56,17 +108,22 @@ func runFilestreamBenchmark(t testing.TB, testID string, cfg string, expEventCou
 		Cancelation: ctx,
 	}
 
-	connector, eventsDone := newTestPipeline(expEventCount)
+	events := make([]beat.Event, 0, eventLimit)
+	connector, eventsDone := newTestPipeline(eventLimit, &events)
 	done := make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		err := input.Run(context, connector)
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		done <- struct{}{}
-	}()
 
-	<-eventsDone
-	cancel()
-	<-done // for more stable results we should wait until the full shutdown
+	return func(t testing.TB) []beat.Event {
+		go func() {
+			err := input.Run(context, connector)
+			assert.NoError(b, err)
+			close(done)
+		}()
+
+		<-eventsDone
+		cancel()
+		<-done // for more stable results we should wait until the full shutdown
+		return events
+	}
 }
 
 func generateFile(t testing.TB, lineCount int) string {
@@ -84,39 +141,6 @@ func generateFile(t testing.TB, lineCount int) string {
 	return filename
 }
 
-func BenchmarkFilestream(b *testing.B) {
-	logp.TestingSetup(logp.ToDiscardOutput())
-	lineCount := 10000
-	filename := generateFile(b, lineCount)
-
-	b.Run("filestream default throughput", func(b *testing.B) {
-		cfg := `
-type: filestream
-prospector.scanner.check_interval: 1s
-paths:
-    - ` + filename + `
-`
-		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-			runFilestreamBenchmark(b, fmt.Sprintf("default-benchmark-%d", i), cfg, lineCount)
-		}
-	})
-
-	b.Run("filestream fingerprint throughput", func(b *testing.B) {
-		cfg := `
-type: filestream
-prospector.scanner:
-  fingerprint.enabled: true
-  check_interval: 1s
-file_identity.fingerprint: ~
-paths:
-  - ` + filename + `
-`
-		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-			runFilestreamBenchmark(b, fmt.Sprintf("fp-benchmark-%d", i), cfg, lineCount)
-		}
-	})
-}
-
 func createTestStore(t testing.TB) loginp.StateStore {
 	return &testStore{registry: statestore.NewRegistry(storetest.NewMemoryStoreBackend())}
 }
@@ -137,14 +161,15 @@ func (s *testStore) CleanupInterval() time.Duration {
 	return time.Second
 }
 
-func newTestPipeline(eventLimit int) (pc beat.PipelineConnector, done <-chan struct{}) {
+func newTestPipeline(eventLimit int, out *[]beat.Event) (pc beat.PipelineConnector, done <-chan struct{}) {
 	ch := make(chan struct{})
-	return &testPipeline{limit: eventLimit, done: ch}, ch
+	return &testPipeline{limit: eventLimit, done: ch, out: out}, ch
 }
 
 type testPipeline struct {
 	done  chan struct{}
 	limit int
+	out   *[]beat.Event
 }
 
 func (p *testPipeline) ConnectWith(beat.ClientConfig) (beat.Client, error) {
@@ -160,8 +185,12 @@ type testClient struct {
 
 func (c *testClient) Publish(event beat.Event) {
 	c.testPipeline.limit--
+	if c.testPipeline.limit < 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	*c.testPipeline.out = append(*c.testPipeline.out, event)
 	if c.testPipeline.limit == 0 {
-		c.testPipeline.done <- struct{}{}
+		close(c.testPipeline.done)
 	}
 }