diff --git a/lib/installedtest.pm b/lib/installedtest.pm
index 5cd93572..b63b6fdc 100644
--- a/lib/installedtest.pm
+++ b/lib/installedtest.pm
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ sub start_cockpit {
     wait_still_screen 5;
     if ($login) {
         # with cockpit 118, user name field is not highlighted by
-        # default. for right now 118 is only in Rawhide, we'll have
-        # to adjust this conditional as necessary.
-        if (lc(get_var('VERSION')) eq "rawhide") {
-            wait_screen_change { send_key "tab"; };
-        }
+        # default. this will be fixed in 119, so we will need to make
+        # this F25-only when 119 hits Rawhide, then remove it entirely
+        # when 119 goes stable for F25.
+        wait_screen_change { send_key "tab"; };
+
         type_safely "root";
         wait_screen_change { send_key "tab"; };
         type_safely get_var("ROOT_PASSWORD", "weakpassword");