diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index bff437aa..0437638f 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -875,13 +875,27 @@ sub check_desktop {
         timeout => 30,
         @_
     );
-    assert_screen "apps_menu_button", $args{timeout};
-    # GNOME 40 starts on the overview by default; for consistency with
-    # older GNOME and KDE, let's just close it
-    if (match_has_tag "apps_menu_button_active") {
-        wait_still_screen 3;
-        send_key "alt-f1";
-        assert_screen "apps_menu_button_inactive";
+    my $count = 5;
+    my $activematched = 0;
+    while ($count > 0) {
+        $count -= 1;
+        assert_screen "apps_menu_button", $args{timeout};
+        # GNOME 40 starts on the overview by default; for consistency with
+        # older GNOME and KDE, let's just close it
+        if (match_has_tag "apps_menu_button_active") {
+            $activematched = 1;
+            wait_still_screen 5;
+            send_key "super";
+            wait_still_screen 5;
+        }
+        else {
+            # this means we saw 'inactive', which is what we want
+            last;
+        }
+    }
+    if ($activematched) {
+        # make sure we got to inactive after active
+        die "never reached apps_menu_button_inactive!" unless (match_has_tag "apps_menu_button_inactive");
     }
 }
 
@@ -928,7 +942,7 @@ sub start_with_launcher {
     # The following varies for different desktops.
     if ($desktop eq 'gnome') {
         # Start the Activities page
-        send_key 'alt-f1';
+        send_key 'super';
         wait_still_screen 5;
 
         # Click on the menu icon to come into the menus
@@ -1128,8 +1142,7 @@ sub menu_launch_type {
     # launcher, typing the specified string and hitting enter. Pass
     # the string to be typed to launch whatever it is you want.
     my $app = shift;
-    # super does not work on KDE, because fml
-    send_key 'alt-f1';
+    send_key 'super';
     # srsly KDE y u so slo
     wait_still_screen 3;
     type_very_safely $app;
diff --git a/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm b/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
index 2b82e343..9303fc80 100644
--- a/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
+++ b/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
@@ -113,8 +113,22 @@ sub run {
         else {
             # on lives, we have to explicitly launch anaconda
             if (get_var('LIVE')) {
-                assert_screen ["live_start_anaconda_icon", "apps_menu_button_active"], 300;
-                send_key "alt-f1" if match_has_tag "apps_menu_button_active";
+                my $count = 5;
+                while ($count > 0) {
+                    $count -= 1;
+                    assert_screen ["live_start_anaconda_icon", "apps_menu_button_active"], 300;
+                    if (match_has_tag "apps_menu_button_active") {
+                        # give GNOME some time to be sure it's done starting up
+                        # and ready for input
+                        wait_still_screen 5;
+                        send_key "super";
+                        wait_still_screen 5;
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        # this means we saw the launcher, which is what we want
+                        last;
+                    }
+                }
                 # for KDE we need to double-click after kde-settings-34.6-1,
                 # which is stable now.
                 # FIXME: when F33 goes EOL, make the condition just "if kde"
diff --git a/tests/_graphical_input.pm b/tests/_graphical_input.pm
index a7a3af74..dd412154 100644
--- a/tests/_graphical_input.pm
+++ b/tests/_graphical_input.pm
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ sub run {
     }
     # do this from the overview because the desktop uses the stupid
     # transparent top bar which messes with our needles
-    send_key "alt-f1";
+    send_key "super";
     assert_screen "overview_app_grid";
     # check both layouts are available at the desktop; here,
     # we can expect input method switching to work too
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ sub run {
         # wait a bit for input switch to complete
         sleep 3;
 
-        # assume we can test input from whatever 'alt-f1' opened
+        # assume we can test input from whatever 'super' opened
         type_safely "yama";
         assert_screen "desktop_yama_hiragana";
         send_key "spc";
diff --git a/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/settings.pm b/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/settings.pm
index 2d71506d..f78679b1 100644
--- a/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/settings.pm
+++ b/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/settings.pm
@@ -8,10 +8,8 @@ use utils;
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     # start the settings application
-    send_key 'alt-f1';
-    type_very_safely 'settings';
-    send_key 'ret';
-    
+    menu_launch_type 'settings';
+
     # select Background menu item
     assert_and_click 'apps_settings_menu_background';
     wait_still_screen 5;
diff --git a/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/terminal.pm b/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/terminal.pm
index afeea47a..328a1cd9 100644
--- a/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/terminal.pm
+++ b/tests/apps_startstop/gnome/terminal.pm
@@ -3,17 +3,12 @@ use strict;
 use testapi;
 use utils;
 
-# This test tests if Terminal starts and uses it to change desktop settings for all the following tests.
-# Therefore, if you want to use all the tests from the APPS family, this should be the very first to do.
+# This test tests if Terminal starts.
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     # open the application
-    send_key 'alt-f1';
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    type_very_safely 'terminal';
-    send_key 'ret';  
-    wait_still_screen 5;
+    menu_launch_type "terminal";
     assert_screen "apps_run_terminal";
 
     # Register application
diff --git a/tests/desktop_browser.pm b/tests/desktop_browser.pm
index 0dbe968e..c5cf1f14 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_browser.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_browser.pm
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ sub _open_new_tab {
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     check_desktop;
-    send_key 'alt-f1';
+    send_key 'super';
     # wait out animations
     wait_still_screen(stilltime=>4, similarity_level=>45);
     assert_and_click 'browser_launcher';