diff --git a/tests/system/test_zonal.py b/tests/system/test_zonal.py
index 909b9ddf1..ffdab8744 100644
--- a/tests/system/test_zonal.py
+++ b/tests/system/test_zonal.py
@@ -24,28 +24,32 @@
 # TODO: replace this with a fixture once zonal bucket creation / deletion
 # is supported in grpc client or json client client.
 _ZONAL_BUCKET = os.getenv("ZONAL_BUCKET")
+_BYTES_TO_UPLOAD = b"dummy_bytes_to_write_read_and_delete_appendable_object"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_basic_wrd(storage_client, blobs_to_delete):
-    bytes_to_upload = b"dummy_bytes_to_write_read_and_delete_appendable_object"
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "attempt_direct_path",
+    [True, False],
+)
+async def test_basic_wrd(storage_client, blobs_to_delete, attempt_direct_path):
     object_name = f"test_basic_wrd-{str(uuid.uuid4())}"
 
     # Client instantiation; it cannot be part of fixture because.
     # grpc_client's event loop and event loop of coroutine running it
     # (i.e. this test) must be same.
     # Note:
-    # 1. @pytest.mark.asyncio ensures new event for each test.
+    # 1. @pytest.mark.asyncio ensures new event loop for each test.
     # 2. we can keep the same event loop for entire module but that may
     #  create issues if tests are run in parallel and one test hogs the event
     #  loop slowing down other tests.
-    grpc_client = AsyncGrpcClient().grpc_client
+    grpc_client = AsyncGrpcClient(attempt_direct_path=attempt_direct_path).grpc_client
 
     writer = AsyncAppendableObjectWriter(grpc_client, _ZONAL_BUCKET, object_name)
     await writer.open()
-    await writer.append(bytes_to_upload)
+    await writer.append(_BYTES_TO_UPLOAD)
     object_metadata = await writer.close(finalize_on_close=True)
-    assert object_metadata.size == len(bytes_to_upload)
+    assert object_metadata.size == len(_BYTES_TO_UPLOAD)
 
     mrd = AsyncMultiRangeDownloader(grpc_client, _ZONAL_BUCKET, object_name)
     buffer = BytesIO()
@@ -53,7 +57,7 @@ async def test_basic_wrd(storage_client, blobs_to_delete):
     # (0, 0) means read the whole object
     await mrd.download_ranges([(0, 0, buffer)])
     await mrd.close()
-    assert buffer.getvalue() == bytes_to_upload
+    assert buffer.getvalue() == _BYTES_TO_UPLOAD
 
     # Clean up; use json client (i.e. `storage_client` fixture) to delete.
     blobs_to_delete.append(storage_client.bucket(_ZONAL_BUCKET).blob(object_name))