diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 150ea757..2edbc8b0 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use base 'Exporter';
 use Exporter;
 use lockapi;
 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 quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages acnp_handle_output 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 kde_doublek_workaround dm_perform_login desktop_launch_terminal/;
+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 quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages acnp_handle_output 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 desktop_launch_terminal solidify_wallpaper check_and_install_git download_testdata make_serial_writable set_update_notification_timestamp kde_doublek_workaround dm_perform_login/;
 
 
 # We introduce this global variable to hold the list of applications that have
@@ -1609,6 +1609,22 @@ sub register_application {
     print("APPLICATION REGISTERED: $application \n");
 }
 
+# launch a terminal from a desktop, using the most efficient/reliable
+# approach (not appropriate if we really need to test launching it a
+# specific way)
+sub desktop_launch_terminal {
+    my $desktop = get_var("DESKTOP");
+    if ($desktop eq "i3") {
+        send_key "alt-ret";
+    }
+    elsif ($desktop eq "kde") {
+        send_key "ctrl-alt-t";
+    }
+    else {
+        menu_launch_type "terminal";
+    }
+}
+
 # The KDE desktop tests are very difficult to maintain, because the transparency
 # of the menu requires a lot of different needles to cover the elements.
 # Therefore it is useful to change the background to a solid colour.
@@ -1652,7 +1668,8 @@ sub solidify_wallpaper {
     }
     elsif ($desktop eq "gnome") {
         # Start the terminal to set up backgrounds.
-        menu_launch_type("terminal");
+        desktop_launch_terminal;
+        assert_screen "apps_run_terminal";
         # wait to be sure it's fully open
         wait_still_screen(stilltime => 5, similarity_level => 38);
         # When the application opens, run command in it to set the background to black
@@ -1760,7 +1777,8 @@ sub set_update_notification_timestamp {
 sub start_applications {
     my @applications = @_;
     # Open the terminal
-    menu_launch_type("terminal");
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
+    assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
     wait_still_screen(2);
     # Iterate over the application list
     # and start each application from it.
@@ -1822,20 +1840,4 @@ sub dm_perform_login {
     send_key "ret";
 }
 
-# launch a terminal from a desktop, using the most efficient/reliable
-# approach (not appropriate if we really need to test launching it a
-# specific way)
-sub desktop_launch_terminal {
-    my $desktop = get_var("DESKTOP");
-    if ($desktop eq "i3") {
-        send_key "alt-ret";
-    }
-    elsif ($desktop eq "kde") {
-        send_key "ctrl-alt-t";
-    }
-    else {
-        menu_launch_type "terminal";
-    }
-}
-
 1;
diff --git a/tests/_vncconnect_client_setup.pm b/tests/_vncconnect_client_setup.pm
index 176bfe40..2bba5742 100644
--- a/tests/_vncconnect_client_setup.pm
+++ b/tests/_vncconnect_client_setup.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ use utils;
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
-    menu_launch_type 'terminal';
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
+    assert_screen "apps_run_terminal";
     wait_still_screen 5;
     type_very_safely "vncviewer -FullScreen -listen\n";
     mutex_create 'vncconnect_client_ready';
diff --git a/tests/applications/gnome-panel/volumebar.pm b/tests/applications/gnome-panel/volumebar.pm
index 7917b925..8fb72620 100644
--- a/tests/applications/gnome-panel/volumebar.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/gnome-panel/volumebar.pm
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     # Open the terminal to enable us to set the
     # volume level.
-    menu_launch_type("terminal");
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
     assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
     # Set the volume to 0%
     type_safely('amixer -D pipewire sset Master 0%');
diff --git a/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_password.pm b/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_password.pm
index fe2086bc..9dbce531 100644
--- a/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_password.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_password.pm
@@ -63,10 +63,8 @@ sub connect_localhost {
         # Therefore, we will use a different approach - we will enable
         # CLI keyring integration and perform an SFTP connection
         # in Konsole.
-        # try and avoid double-typing issues
-        kde_doublek_workaround;
-        menu_launch_type("konsole");
-        assert_screen("konsole_runs");
+        desktop_launch_terminal;
+        assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
         # Export the environmental variables, this is needed for the process
         # to work correctly.
         export_kde_vars();
diff --git a/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_passwordless.pm b/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_passwordless.pm
index f09f9ab5..0234e510 100644
--- a/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_passwordless.pm
+++ b/tests/applications/keyring/keyring_passwordless.pm
@@ -28,18 +28,11 @@ sub export_kde_vars {
 sub connect_localhost {
     my $type = shift;
 
-    # Start the terminal application. On KDE also export the variables.
-    if (get_var("DESKTOP") eq "gnome") {
-        menu_launch_type("terminal");
-        assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
-    }
-    else {
-        # try and avoid double-typing issues
-        kde_doublek_workaround;
-        menu_launch_type("konsole");
-        assert_screen("konsole_runs");
-        export_kde_vars();
-    }
+    # Start the terminal application
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
+    assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
+    # On KDE also export the variables
+    export_kde_vars() if (get_var("DESKTOP") eq "kde");
 
     # Establish the SFTP connection to the localhost.
     # A dialogue should appear to collect credentials to open
diff --git a/tests/apps_startstop/kde/konsole.pm b/tests/apps_startstop/kde/konsole.pm
index 0ed45e60..e7c667d8 100644
--- a/tests/apps_startstop/kde/konsole.pm
+++ b/tests/apps_startstop/kde/konsole.pm
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ sub run {
     my $self = shift;
 
     # Start the application
+    # we don't use desktop_launch_terminal here as we specifically
+    # want to run 'konsole' from the kicker menu in this test
     menu_launch_type 'konsole';
     # Check that it is started
     assert_screen 'konsole_runs', timeout => 60;
diff --git a/tests/check_default_fonts.pm b/tests/check_default_fonts.pm
index 9e1480db..bbc89712 100644
--- a/tests/check_default_fonts.pm
+++ b/tests/check_default_fonts.pm
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ sub run {
     desktop_switch_layout 'ascii';
     wait_still_screen(2);
 
-    menu_launch_type("terminal");
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
     # Similarly to _graphical_input.pm, repeat running the command
     # if it fails the first time (it often does).
     unless (check_screen "apps_run_terminal", 30) {
         check_desktop;
-        menu_launch_type("terminal");
+        desktop_launch_terminal;
     }
     assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
     wait_still_screen(stilltime => 5, similarity_level => 42);
diff --git a/tests/desktop_notifications.pm b/tests/desktop_notifications.pm
index b5f597d2..ca2501b7 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_notifications.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_notifications.pm
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ sub run {
         # we launch a terminal so that the top of the screen is filled with
         # something that we know and can check that it is not covered by a
         # notification popup from dunst
-        send_key('alt-ret');
+        desktop_launch_terminal;
         assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
         assert_script_run('notify-send -t 10000 "foo"');
         assert_screen("i3_dunst_foo_notification", timeout => 5);
diff --git a/tests/desktop_printing.pm b/tests/desktop_printing.pm
index dd28a5a4..6fa79569 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_printing.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_printing.pm
@@ -71,17 +71,11 @@ sub run {
     }
     # Let's open the terminal. We will use it to start the applications
     # as well as to check for the name of the printed file.
-    if ($desktop eq "i3") {
-        send_key('alt-ret');
-        assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
-        # switch to tabbed mode
-        send_key("alt-w");
-    }
-    else {
-        menu_launch_type($term);
-        wait_still_screen(5);
-    }
-
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
+    assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
+    wait_still_screen 3;
+    # switch to tabbed mode
+    send_key("alt-w") if ($desktop eq "i3");
     # Open the text editor and maximize it.
     wait_screen_change { type_very_safely "$editor /home/$user/testfile.txt &\n"; };
     wait_still_screen(stilltime => 2, similarity_level => 45);
diff --git a/tests/desktop_terminal.pm b/tests/desktop_terminal.pm
index b7468737..74a87b93 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_terminal.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_terminal.pm
@@ -10,12 +10,7 @@ sub run {
     check_desktop;
     # try and avoid double-typing issues
     kde_doublek_workaround(key => 't') if ($desktop eq "kde");
-    if ($desktop eq "i3") {
-        send_key("alt-ret");
-    }
-    else {
-        menu_launch_type('terminal');
-    }
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
     assert_screen "apps_run_terminal";
     wait_still_screen(stilltime => 5, similarity_level => 42);
     # need to be root
diff --git a/tests/i3_tiling.pm b/tests/i3_tiling.pm
index f854d92f..ab96158d 100644
--- a/tests/i3_tiling.pm
+++ b/tests/i3_tiling.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ sub run {
     my $password = get_var('USER_PASSWORD', 'weakpassword');
 
     # launch a terminal first
-    send_key("alt-ret");
+    desktop_launch_terminal;
     assert_screen("apps_run_terminal");
 
     # start blivet_gui, mousepad and check that they are split on the screen