diff --git a/config/initializers/200-first_middlewares.rb b/config/initializers/200-first_middlewares.rb
index e06b7b9f3d1..ed3e2dccf2a 100644
--- a/config/initializers/200-first_middlewares.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/200-first_middlewares.rb
@@ -58,12 +58,18 @@ if Rails.env.test?
            (
              @@block_requests ||
                (
-                 request.cookies[RSPEC_CURRENT_EXAMPLE_COOKIE_STRING].present? &&
+                 self.class.current_example_location.present? &&
                    self.class.current_example_location !=
                      request.cookies[RSPEC_CURRENT_EXAMPLE_COOKIE_STRING]
                )
            )
-        [503, { "Content-Type" => "text/plain" }, ["Blocked by BlockRequestsMiddleware"]]
+        [
+          503,
+          { "Content-Type" => "text/plain" },
+          [
+            "Blocked by BlockRequestsMiddleware for requests initiated by #{request.cookies[RSPEC_CURRENT_EXAMPLE_COOKIE_STRING]} when running #{self.class.current_example_location}",
+          ],
+        ]
       else
         @app.call(env)
       end
diff --git a/spec/rails_helper.rb b/spec/rails_helper.rb
index af8f3d93dac..6bd575fe359 100644
--- a/spec/rails_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/rails_helper.rb
@@ -593,8 +593,9 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
         ActiveRecord::Base.connection.schema_cache.add(table)
       end
 
-      ApplicationController.before_action do
-        if BlockRequestsMiddleware.current_example_location
+      ApplicationController.before_action(prepend: true) do
+        if BlockRequestsMiddleware.current_example_location && !request.xhr? &&
+             request.format == "html"
           cookies[
             BlockRequestsMiddleware::RSPEC_CURRENT_EXAMPLE_COOKIE_STRING
           ] = BlockRequestsMiddleware.current_example_location