diff --git a/lib/anaconda.pm b/lib/anaconda.pm
index 0daef377..ed091931 100644
--- a/lib/anaconda.pm
+++ b/lib/anaconda.pm
@@ -313,14 +313,13 @@ sub crash_anaconda_text {
     # It is used in the `install_text.pm` test and can be switched on by using the CRASH_REPORT
     # variable set to 1.
     #
-    # First let us navigate to reach the shell window in Anaconda using the alt-f3 combo,
-    # this should take us to another terminal, where we can simulate the crash.
-    send_key "alt-f3";
+    # tty3 has a shell on all f31+ installer and live images
+    select_console "tty3-console";
     assert_screen("anaconda_text_install_shell");
     # We use the trigger command to do the simulated crash.
     type_string "kill -USR1 `cat /var/run/anaconda.pid`\n";
     # And navigate back to the main panel of Anaconda. This should require
-    send_key "alt-f1";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
     assert_screen("anaconda_text_install_main");
     # We wait until the crash menu appears. This usually takes some time,
     # so let's try for 300 seconds, this should be long enough.
diff --git a/lib/anacondatest.pm b/lib/anacondatest.pm
index b9a6907e..81401e12 100644
--- a/lib/anacondatest.pm
+++ b/lib/anacondatest.pm
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ sub root_console {
     }
     else {
         # tty3 has a shell on all f31+ installer and live images
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f3";
+        select_console "tty3-console";
     }
     console_login(user => "root", timeout => $args{timeout});
 }
diff --git a/lib/fedoradistribution.pm b/lib/fedoradistribution.pm
index a7a4fa20..5f455066 100644
--- a/lib/fedoradistribution.pm
+++ b/lib/fedoradistribution.pm
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use Cwd;
 
 # importing whole testapi creates circular dependency, so import only
 # necessary functions from testapi
-use testapi qw(check_var get_var send_key type_string assert_screen check_screen assert_script_run validate_script_output enter_cmd type_password);
+use testapi qw(check_var get_var send_key type_string assert_screen check_screen assert_script_run validate_script_output enter_cmd type_password select_console);
 use utils qw(console_login desktop_vt menu_launch_type);
 
 # Class constructor
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ sub init() {
             # "virtio-console1", third as "virtio-console2" etc.
             $self->add_console('virtio-console' . $num, 'virtio_terminal', {socked_path => cwd() . '/virtio_console' . $num});
         }
+        $self->add_console('tty1-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 1});
+        $self->add_console('tty2-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 2});
+        $self->add_console('tty3-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 3});
+        $self->add_console('tty4-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 4});
+        $self->add_console('tty5-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 5});
+        $self->add_console('tty6-console', 'tty-console', {tty => 6});
     }
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +85,7 @@ sub ensure_installed {
         # In that case, we want to return to GUI after the routine finishes.
         $stay_on_console = 0;
         # From GUI we need to switch to the console.
-        send_key("ctrl-alt-f3");
+        select_console "tty3-console";
         # Let's wait to allow for screen changes.
         sleep 5;
         # And do the login.
diff --git a/lib/installedtest.pm b/lib/installedtest.pm
index 484201bf..1b7b2200 100644
--- a/lib/installedtest.pm
+++ b/lib/installedtest.pm
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use base 'basetest';
 # should be used when with tests, where system is already installed, e. g all parts
 # of upgrade tests, postinstall phases...
 
-use testapi qw(is_serial_terminal :DEFAULT);
+use testapi qw(is_serial_terminal :DEFAULT select_console);
 use utils;
 
 sub root_console {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ sub root_console {
     }
     else {
         # For normal terminal emulation, use key combo to reach a tty
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f$args{tty}";
+        select_console "tty$args{tty}-console";
     }
     console_login(timeout => $args{timeout});    # Do the login.
 }
diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 730dfe97..21fcb7f5 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use base 'Exporter';
 use Exporter;
 
 use lockapi;
-use testapi;
+use testapi qw(is_serial_terminal :DEFAULT);
 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 setup_repos repo_setup get_workarounds disable_updates_repos 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 repos_mirrorlist register_application get_registered_applications solidify_wallpaper check_and_install_git download_testdata make_serial_writable set_update_notification_timestamp/;
 
 
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ sub console_login {
     # and let us simplify the process.
     # We will check if we are logged in, and if so, we will log out to
     # enable a new proper login based on the user variable.
-    if (get_var("SERIAL_CONSOLE")) {
+    if (get_var("SERIAL_CONSOLE") || is_serial_terminal()) {
         # Check for the usual prompt.
         if (wait_serial("~\][#\$]", timeout => 5, quiet => 1)) {
             type_string "logout\n";
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ sub console_login {
         # Do the new login.
         type_string $args{user};
         type_string "\n";
-        sleep 2;
+        wait_serial("Password:", timeout => 2, quiet => 1);
         type_string $args{password};
         type_string "\n";
         # Let's perform a simple login test. This is the same as
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ sub desktop_vt {
     while ($xout =~ /tty(\d)/g) {
         $tty = $1;    # most recent match is probably best
     }
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f${tty}";
+    select_console "tty${tty}-console";
     # work around https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/issues/582
     # if it happens. As of 2019-05, seeing something similar on KDE too
     my $desktop = get_var('DESKTOP');
@@ -302,10 +302,10 @@ sub desktop_vt {
         click_lastmatch if ($desktop eq 'kde');
         if (match_has_tag "auth_required_fprint") {
             my $user = get_var("USER_LOGIN", "test");
-            send_key "ctrl-alt-f6";
+            select_console "tty6-console";
             console_login;
             assert_script_run "echo SCAN ${user}-finger-1 | socat STDIN UNIX-CONNECT:/run/fprintd-virt";
-            send_key "ctrl-alt-f${tty}";
+            select_console "tty${tty}-console";
         }
         elsif (match_has_tag "auth_required_locked") {
             # When console operation takes a long time, the screen locks
@@ -636,7 +636,23 @@ sub _repo_setup_updates {
     # unless (script_run 'pushd /etc/yum.repos.d && tar czvf yumreposd.tar.gz * && popd') {
     #     upload_logs "/etc/yum.repos.d/yumreposd.tar.gz";
     # }
-
+    # if no current console is registered, assume we're on tty1
+    my $currcon = current_console || "tty1-console";
+    # do all this setup from a serial console for speed (especially when
+    # downloading large updates)
+    # the console we register as 'virtio-console' is the first virtio
+    # serial console, 'virtio_console' on the qemu command line.
+    # on most platforms, this console is /dev/hvc0 (and the default
+    # qemu serial console, which for openQA is backed by a ringbuf
+    # device and logged as serial0.txt, is /dev/ttyS0). however, on
+    # Power, the default serial console is /dev/hvc0 and the first
+    # virtio serial console is /dev/hvc1.
+    # it seems we get a getty on ttyS0 and hvc0 by default, but we
+    # don't get one on hvc1. so on Power, start a tty on hvc1
+    assert_script_run 'systemctl start serial-getty@hvc1.service' if (get_var("OFW"));
+    script_run "echo 'Package download and repo creation happening on serial console...'";
+    select_console("virtio-console");
+    console_login();
     # prepare the directory the packages will be downloaded to, unless we're
     # testing a side tag
     _prepare_update_mount() unless ($tag);
@@ -644,8 +660,8 @@ sub _repo_setup_updates {
     # on CANNED, we need to enter the toolbox at this point
     if (get_var("CANNED")) {
         type_string "toolbox -y enter\n";
-        # look for the little purple dot
-        assert_screen "console_in_toolbox", 180;
+        # this is simply to wait till we're in the toolbox
+        assert_script_run "true", 180;
     }
 
     # use mirrorlist not metalink in repo configs
@@ -687,8 +703,10 @@ sub _repo_setup_updates {
     # exit the toolbox on CANNED
     if (get_var("CANNED")) {
         type_string "exit\n";
-        wait_still_screen 5;
+        wait_serial "# ";
     }
+    # flip back to whatever console we were on before
+    select_console $currcon;
 }
 
 sub repo_setup {
diff --git a/tests/_check_install_source.pm b/tests/_check_install_source.pm
index 3005a10d..62db5c71 100644
--- a/tests/_check_install_source.pm
+++ b/tests/_check_install_source.pm
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ sub run {
     # just for convenience - sometimes it's useful to see this log
     # for a success case
     upload_logs "/tmp/packaging.log", failok => 1;
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f6";
+    select_console "tty6-console";
 
     # Anaconda hub
     assert_screen "anaconda_main_hub", 30;
diff --git a/tests/_console_login.pm b/tests/_console_login.pm
index ae0b0aab..5ede1478 100644
--- a/tests/_console_login.pm
+++ b/tests/_console_login.pm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use utils;
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f3";
+    select_console "tty3-console";
     # do user login unless USER_LOGIN is set to string 'false'
     # Since there is no console support for arabic, so we cannot let the user log in
     # with a password that requires Arabic support.
diff --git a/tests/_graphical_wait_login.pm b/tests/_graphical_wait_login.pm
index d0fcc2a2..8aea167a 100644
--- a/tests/_graphical_wait_login.pm
+++ b/tests/_graphical_wait_login.pm
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ sub run {
     if (get_var("IMAGE_DEPLOY")) {
         # if this was an image deployment, we also need to create
         # root user now, for subsequent tests to work
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f3";
+        select_console "tty3-console";
         console_login(user => get_var("USER_LOGIN", "test"), password => get_var("USER_PASSWORD", "weakpassword"));
         type_string "sudo su\n";
         type_string "$password\n";
diff --git a/tests/_software_selection.pm b/tests/_software_selection.pm
index ea55abcb..abc79b79 100644
--- a/tests/_software_selection.pm
+++ b/tests/_software_selection.pm
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ sub run {
         # line looks like:
         # 07:40:26,614 DBG ui.lib.software: Selecting the 'custom-environment' environment.
         assert_script_run "grep 'Selecting the.*environment' /tmp/anaconda.log /tmp/packaging.log | tail -1 | grep $env";
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f6";
+        select_console "tty6-console";
         assert_screen "anaconda_main_hub", 30;
         return;
     }
diff --git a/tests/applications/gnome-panel/network.pm b/tests/applications/gnome-panel/network.pm
index c3d580e1..dd220f3e 100644
--- a/tests/applications/gnome-panel/network.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/gnome-panel/network.pm
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ sub run {
     # desktop_vt subroutine, but since we do not have networking
     # it does not work reliably. Ergo, we will use the old known
     # ctrl-alt-f2
-    send_key("ctrl-alt-f2");
+    select_console "tty2-console";
     sleep(3);
 
     # Toggle network
diff --git a/tests/autocloud.pm b/tests/autocloud.pm
index 847a6b9c..7dfe632d 100644
--- a/tests/autocloud.pm
+++ b/tests/autocloud.pm
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ sub run {
     # we need to use script_run as regular user
     assert_script_run "chmod ugo+w /dev/" . $serialdev;
     # let's go to another tty and login as regular user
-    send_key "alt-f2";
+    select_console "tty2-console";
     console_login(user => "test", password => "weakpassword");
     assert_script_run "curl -O https://fedorapeople.org/groups/qa/tunirtests.tar.gz";
     assert_script_run "tar xvf tunirtests.tar.gz";
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ sub run {
     # we need to use script_run as regular user again
     assert_script_run "sudo chmod ugo+w /dev/" . $serialdev;
     # let's go to another tty and login as regular user again
-    send_key "alt-f2";
+    select_console "tty2-console";
     console_login(user => "test", password => "weakpassword");
     _soft_fail_run "tunirtests.testreboot.TestReboot";
     assert_script_run "sudo python3 -m unittest tunirtests.cloudservice.TestServiceManipulation -v";
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ sub run {
     # we need to use script_run as regular user again
     assert_script_run "sudo chmod ugo+w /dev/" . $serialdev;
     # let's go to another tty and login as regular user again
-    send_key "alt-f2";
+    select_console "tty2-console";
     console_login(user => "test", password => "weakpassword");
     assert_script_run "sudo python3 -m unittest tunirtests.cloudservice.TestServiceAfter -v";
     if (get_var("CANNED")) {
diff --git a/tests/desktop_fprint.pm b/tests/desktop_fprint.pm
index 69ac5b8f..39905670 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_fprint.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_fprint.pm
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ sub run {
     # the GDM tty needs to be active when the scan happens, so we will
     # schedule the scan to happen in 20 seconds then go deal with gdm
     type_string "sleep 20; echo SCAN $user-finger-1 | socat STDIN UNIX-CONNECT:/run/fprintd-virt\n";
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
     mouse_hide;
     send_key_until_needlematch("graphical_login_input", "ret", 3, 5);
     # now we check that we see the "or scan fingerprint" message, then
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ sub run {
     # we're doing the same as before, but scanning the 'wrong thing'
     # (note finger-2 not finger-1)
     type_string "sleep 20; echo SCAN $user-finger-2 | socat STDIN UNIX-CONNECT:/run/fprintd-virt\n";
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
     mouse_hide;
     send_key_until_needlematch("graphical_login_input", "ret", 3, 5);
     assert_screen "graphical_login_fprint";
diff --git a/tests/domain_client.pm b/tests/domain_client.pm
index 915bd60f..9e92d508 100644
--- a/tests/domain_client.pm
+++ b/tests/domain_client.pm
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ sub run {
     # switch to tty1 (we're usually there already, but just in case
     # we're carrying on from a failed freeipa_webui that didn't fail
     # at tty1)
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
     wait_still_screen 1;
     if (get_var("KICKSTART")) {
         # we don't have sssd debugging enabled yet
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ sub run {
     # Set a longer timeout for login(1) to workaround RHBZ #1661273
     assert_script_run 'echo "LOGIN_TIMEOUT 180" >> /etc/login.defs';
     # switch to tty2 for login tests
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f2";
+    select_console "tty2-console";
     # try and login as test1, should work
     console_login(user => "test1\@$domain", password => 'batterystaple');
     type_string "exit\n";
diff --git a/tests/freeipa_webui.pm b/tests/freeipa_webui.pm
index 71d5e3e6..9373a746 100644
--- a/tests/freeipa_webui.pm
+++ b/tests/freeipa_webui.pm
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ sub run {
     assert_script_run 'printf "correcthorse\nbatterystaple\nbatterystaple" | kinit test3@TEST.OPENQA.FEDORAPROJECT.ORG';
     assert_script_run 'printf "correcthorse\nbatterystaple\nbatterystaple" | kinit test4@TEST.OPENQA.FEDORAPROJECT.ORG';
     # switch to tty4 (boy, the tty jugglin')
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f4";
+    select_console "tty4-console";
     # try and login as test3, should work
     console_login(user => 'test3@TEST.OPENQA.FEDORAPROJECT.ORG', password => 'batterystaple');
     type_string "exit\n";
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ sub run {
     type_string "batterystaple\n";
     assert_screen "login_permission_denied";
     # back to tty1
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
 }
 
 sub test_flags {
diff --git a/tests/realmd_join_sssd.pm b/tests/realmd_join_sssd.pm
index ea2d042a..9610943f 100644
--- a/tests/realmd_join_sssd.pm
+++ b/tests/realmd_join_sssd.pm
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ sub run {
         assert_script_run 'ipa-server-install -U --uninstall', 300;
         # try and un-garble the screen that the above sometimes garbles
         # ...we may be on tty1 or tty3 now, so flip between them
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-f3";
+        select_console "tty1-console";
+        select_console "tty3-console";
     }
     else {
         assert_script_run "echo '${admin_pw}' | realm join --user=${admin_user} ${server}", 300;
diff --git a/tests/role_deploy_domain_controller_check.pm b/tests/role_deploy_domain_controller_check.pm
index 6ba2f0be..c6a9c38c 100644
--- a/tests/role_deploy_domain_controller_check.pm
+++ b/tests/role_deploy_domain_controller_check.pm
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ sub run {
     assert_script_run 'ipa-server-install -U --uninstall', 300;
     # try and un-garble the screen that the above sometimes garbles
     # ...we may be on tty1 or tty3 now, so flip between them
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f1";
-    send_key "ctrl-alt-f3";
+    select_console "tty1-console";
+    select_console "tty3-console";
     # FIXME check server is decommissioned...how?
 }