diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 23ce9f64..ef83152f 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use Exporter;
 
 use lockapi;
 use testapi;
-our @EXPORT = qw/run_with_error_check type_safely type_very_safely desktop_vt boot_to_login_screen console_login console_switch_layout desktop_switch_layout console_loadkeys_us do_bootloader boot_decrypt check_release menu_launch_type repo_setup setup_workaround_repo cleanup_workaround_repo console_initial_setup handle_welcome_screen gnome_initial_setup anaconda_create_user check_desktop download_modularity_tests quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages advisory_check_nonmatching_packages start_with_launcher quit_with_shortcut disable_firefox_studies select_rescue_mode copy_devcdrom_as_isofile get_release_number check_left_bar check_top_bar check_prerelease check_version spell_version_number _assert_and_click is_branched rec_log click_unwanted_notifications repos_mirrorlist register_application get_registered_applications solidify_wallpaper check_and_install_git download_testdata/;
+our @EXPORT = qw/run_with_error_check type_safely type_very_safely desktop_vt boot_to_login_screen console_login console_switch_layout desktop_switch_layout console_loadkeys_us do_bootloader boot_decrypt check_release menu_launch_type repo_setup setup_workaround_repo cleanup_workaround_repo console_initial_setup handle_welcome_screen gnome_initial_setup anaconda_create_user check_desktop download_modularity_tests quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages advisory_check_nonmatching_packages start_with_launcher quit_with_shortcut disable_firefox_studies select_rescue_mode copy_devcdrom_as_isofile get_release_number check_left_bar check_top_bar check_prerelease check_version spell_version_number _assert_and_click is_branched rec_log click_unwanted_notifications repos_mirrorlist register_application get_registered_applications solidify_wallpaper check_and_install_git download_testdata disable_update_notifications/;
 
 # We introduce this global variable to hold the list of applications that have
 # registered during the apps_startstop_test when they have sucessfully run.
@@ -1460,4 +1460,18 @@ sub download_testdata {
     assert_script_run("chown -R test:test $location");
 }
 
+# Disable update notifications on GNOME to avoid them popping up and
+# messing up a needle match in a running test.
+sub disable_update_notifications {
+    menu_launch_type "gnome-terminal";
+    # wait to be sure it's fully open
+    wait_still_screen 5;
+    # When the application opens, run command in it to set the background to black
+    type_very_safely "gsettings set org.gnome.software download-updates-notify false\n";
+    wait_still_screen 2;
+    send_key 'alt-f4';
+    wait_still_screen 5;
+}
+
+
 1;
diff --git a/tests/applications/evince/aaa_setup.pm b/tests/applications/evince/aaa_setup.pm
index da65a8cb..683e7b66 100644
--- a/tests/applications/evince/aaa_setup.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/evince/aaa_setup.pm
@@ -17,15 +17,23 @@ sub run {
     download_testdata("evince", "Documents");
     # Exit the terminal
     desktop_vt;
+    # slow down keypresses a bit to try and avoid sequences like
+    # ctrl-o failing on aarch64
+    set_var("VNC_TYPING_LIMIT_DEFAULT", 5);
+
+    disable_update_notifications;
 
     # Start the application
     menu_launch_type("evince");
     # Check that is started
     assert_screen 'apps_run_dviewer';
+    wait_still_screen 5;
 
     # Open the test file to create a starting point for the other Evince tests.
     # Click on Open button to open the File Open Dialog
     assert_and_click("evince_open_file_dialog", button => "left", timeout => 30);
+    # wait out the animation
+    wait_still_screen 5;
 
     if (get_var("CANNED")) {
         # open the Documents folder.
@@ -43,6 +51,8 @@ sub run {
 
     # Check that the file has been successfully opened.
     assert_screen("evince_file_opened");
+    # let things settle down before we screenshot.
+    wait_still_screen 5;
 }
 
 sub test_flags {
diff --git a/tests/applications/gedit/aaa_setup.pm b/tests/applications/gedit/aaa_setup.pm
index 2548dbc4..bc549b39 100644
--- a/tests/applications/gedit/aaa_setup.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/gedit/aaa_setup.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use utils;
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
-    
     # Go to the root console to set up the test data and necessary stuff.
     $self->root_console(tty=>3);
 
@@ -16,16 +15,23 @@ sub run {
     download_testdata("gedit", "Documents");
     # Return to Desktop
     desktop_vt();
+    # slow down keypresses a bit to try and avoid sequences like
+    # ctrl-o failing on aarch64
+    set_var("VNC_TYPING_LIMIT_DEFAULT", 5);
+
+    disable_update_notifications;
 
     # Start the application
     menu_launch_type("gedit");
     # Check that it started
     assert_screen("apps_run_texteditor");
+    wait_still_screen 5;
 
     # Open the test file
     send_key("ctrl-o");
 
-    # Open the documents location
+    # Wait out animation, then open the documents location
+    wait_still_screen 5;
     assert_and_click("gnome_open_location_documents");
 
     # Choose the file
@@ -39,6 +45,8 @@ sub run {
 
     # Check that the document has been opened
     assert_screen("gedit_text_file_opened");
+    # let things settle down before we screenshot
+    wait_still_screen 5;
 }
 
 sub test_flags {
diff --git a/tests/applications/gedit/delete_line.pm b/tests/applications/gedit/delete_line.pm
index bcd0d20d..6f628726 100644
--- a/tests/applications/gedit/delete_line.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/gedit/delete_line.pm
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     #  Click on a word on the line.
     assert_and_click "gedit_line_word";
+    wait_still_screen 2;
     # Delete the line
     send_key("ctrl-d");
     # Move cursor out of the way.
diff --git a/tests/applications/gedit/find_text.pm b/tests/applications/gedit/find_text.pm
index 9e9811b0..b945d5ef 100644
--- a/tests/applications/gedit/find_text.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/gedit/find_text.pm
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@ use utils;
 # that spelling control can be used to find and replace spelling mistakes.
 
 sub run {
-    my $self = shift;
     # Search the text for specific string.
-    # At first, Wait 1 second for the test to get ready, as the control character was not properly recognized
-    # when the test started immediately after the rollback.
-    sleep 1;
+    my $self = shift;
+    # wait a bit for system to settle
+    wait_still_screen 5;
     # Invoke the Find dialogue
     send_key "ctrl-f";
     # Type string