diff --git a/.changeset/thick-items-bathe.md b/.changeset/thick-items-bathe.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..455718ed1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/thick-items-bathe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-components': patch
+---
+
+Added data-testid to placeholder rendered by Progress component to simplify assertions in tests
diff --git a/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.test.tsx b/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.test.tsx
index d4057c1675..71e2e70f23 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.test.tsx
@@ -16,19 +16,12 @@
 
 import React from 'react';
 import { renderInTestApp } from '@backstage/test-utils';
-import { act } from '@testing-library/react';
 
 import { Progress } from './Progress';
 
 describe('<Progress />', () => {
   it('renders without exploding', async () => {
-    jest.useFakeTimers();
-    const { getByTestId, queryByTestId } = await renderInTestApp(<Progress />);
-    expect(queryByTestId('progress')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-    act(() => {
-      jest.advanceTimersByTime(250);
-    });
-    expect(getByTestId('progress')).toBeInTheDocument();
-    jest.useRealTimers();
+    const { queryByTestId } = await renderInTestApp(<Progress />);
+    expect(queryByTestId('progress')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.tsx b/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.tsx
index 6d1281edd5..865c4673b8 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-components/src/components/Progress/Progress.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ export function Progress(props: PropsWithChildren<LinearProgressProps>) {
   return isVisible ? (
     <LinearProgress {...props} data-testid="progress" />
   ) : (
-    <Box display="none" />
+    <Box display="none" data-testid="progress" />
   );
 }