Since Moldavia was a vassal state to the Porte, King Sigismund I the Old sent a letter to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to ask him where he stood on the conflict.

The Sultan replied that the Poles were allowed to battle in the disputed Pokutia, but were not permitted to set foot on Moldavian soil, as that would be seen as a declaration of war on the Ottomans.

Between June 3 and 5, Tarnowski sent 1,000 cavalry to oust the Moldavians from the region, and then quickly moved back to Obertyn.

Tarnowski left some of his infantry in Gwoździec and made a slow retreat to defensive position defended by forest, north of Obertyn, where he fortified his army with his Tabor wagons.

One-third of the Polish cavalry then launched several successful attacks on the Moldavian left, forcing Rareş to reinforce it.