diff --git a/lib/cockpit.pm b/lib/cockpit.pm
index e6fdf729..e147876e 100644
--- a/lib/cockpit.pm
+++ b/lib/cockpit.pm
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ sub start_cockpit {
     $args{login} //= 0;
     $args{admin} //= 1;
     my $login = shift || 0;
-    # https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1439429
-    assert_script_run "sed -i -e 's,enable_xauth=1,enable_xauth=0,g' /usr/bin/startx";
-    disable_firefox_studies;
     # run firefox directly in X as root. never do this, kids!
     type_string "startx /usr/bin/firefox -width 1024 -height 768 http://localhost:9090\n";
     assert_screen "cockpit_login", 60;
diff --git a/lib/freeipa.pm b/lib/freeipa.pm
index ed64b032..21ff8a4d 100644
--- a/lib/freeipa.pm
+++ b/lib/freeipa.pm
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ sub start_webui {
     my $user_screen = "freeipa_webui_user";
     $user_screen = "freeipa_webui_users" if ($user eq 'admin');
 
-    # https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1439429
-    assert_script_run "sed -i -e 's,enable_xauth=1,enable_xauth=0,g' /usr/bin/startx";
-    disable_firefox_studies;
     type_string "startx /usr/bin/firefox -width 1024 -height 768 https://ipa001.test.openqa.fedoraproject.org\n";
     assert_screen ["freeipa_webui_login", $user_screen], 60;
     wait_still_screen(stilltime => 5, similarity_level => 45);
diff --git a/tests/_setup_browser.pm b/tests/_setup_browser.pm
index 116554aa..d476b3ad 100644
--- a/tests/_setup_browser.pm
+++ b/tests/_setup_browser.pm
@@ -7,15 +7,14 @@ sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     # set up appropriate repositories
     repo_setup();
-    # install a desktop and firefox so we can actually try it
+    # install X environment
     assert_script_run "dnf -y groupinstall 'base-x'", 300;
-    # FIXME: this should probably be in base-x...X seems to fail without
-    assert_script_run "dnf -y install libglvnd-egl", 180;
-    # try to avoid random weird font selection happening
-    assert_script_run "dnf -y install dejavu-sans-fonts dejavu-sans-mono-fonts dejavu-serif-fonts", 180;
-    # since firefox-85.0-2, firefox doesn't seem to run without this
-    assert_script_run "dnf -y install dbus-glib", 180;
-    assert_script_run "dnf -y install firefox", 180;
+    # install firefox, plus our basic default fonts to try and avoid
+    # random weird font selection happening
+    assert_script_run "dnf -y install firefox google-noto-sans-vf-fonts google-noto-sans-mono-vf-fonts google-noto-serif-vf-fonts", 180;
+    # https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1439429
+    assert_script_run "sed -i -e 's,enable_xauth=1,enable_xauth=0,g' /usr/bin/startx";
+    disable_firefox_studies;
 }
 
 sub test_flags {