diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 142becab..befb74bb 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -867,12 +867,18 @@ sub gnome_initial_setup {
     send_key "ret";
     if ($args{prelogin}) {
         # create user
+        # temporarily (until the versions are stable) we need to check
+        # whether we're on 43 or 44 here
+        my $extratab = 0;
+        $extratab = 1 if (check_screen 'initial_setup_44', 5);
         my $user_login = get_var("USER_LOGIN") || "test";
         my $user_password = get_var("USER_PASSWORD") || "weakpassword";
         type_very_safely $user_login;
         wait_screen_change { assert_and_click "next_button"; };
         type_very_safely $user_password;
         send_key "tab";
+        # on GNOME 44+ we need a second tab here to reach the confirm box
+        send_key "tab" if ($extratab);
         type_very_safely $user_password;
         wait_screen_change { assert_and_click "next_button"; };
         send_key "ret";
diff --git a/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.json b/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a1ed5cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.json
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+{
+  "area": [
+    {
+      "xpos": 717,
+      "ypos": 226,
+      "width": 22,
+      "height": 22,
+      "type": "match"
+    },
+    {
+      "xpos": 757,
+      "ypos": 228,
+      "width": 23,
+      "height": 20,
+      "type": "match"
+    },
+    {
+      "xpos": 718,
+      "ypos": 368,
+      "width": 22,
+      "height": 22,
+      "type": "match"
+    },
+    {
+      "xpos": 757,
+      "ypos": 371,
+      "width": 22,
+      "height": 17,
+      "type": "match"
+    }
+  ],
+  "properties": [],
+  "tags": [
+    "initial_setup_44"
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.png b/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..135fd1ff
Binary files /dev/null and b/needles/gnome/initial_setup_44-20230221.png differ