diff --git a/tests/gold_tests/remap/remap_load_empty_failure.test.py b/tests/gold_tests/remap/remap_load_empty_failure.test.py
index 29dbfb9969a..199d65da778 100644
--- a/tests/gold_tests/remap/remap_load_empty_failure.test.py
+++ b/tests/gold_tests/remap/remap_load_empty_failure.test.py
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 ts.Disk.remap_config.AddLine(f"")  # empty file
 ts.Disk.records_config.update({'proxy.config.url_remap.min_rules_required': 1})
 ts.ReturnCode = 33  # expect to Emergency fail due to empty "remap.config".
+ts.Ready = When.FileContains(ts.Disk.diags_log.Name, "remap.config failed to load")
 
 tr = Test.AddTestRun("test")
-tr.Processes.Default.Command = "echo"
-tr.Processes.Default.StartAfter(ts, ready=When.FileExists(ts.Disk.diags_log))
+tr.Processes.Default.Command = "echo howdy"
+tr.TimeOut = 5
+tr.Processes.Default.StartBefore(ts)
diff --git a/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/emergency.test.py b/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/emergency.test.py
index c9518a7520f..74ca0f9791d 100644
--- a/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/emergency.test.py
+++ b/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/emergency.test.py
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
 tr.Processes.Default.Command = 'printf "Emergency Shutdown Test"'
 tr.Processes.Default.ReturnCode = 0
 tr.Processes.Default.StartBefore(ts)
+tr.Timeout = 5
+
 ts.ReturnCode = 33
-ts.Ready = 0  # Need this to be 0 because we are testing shutdown, this is to make autest not think ats went away for a bad reason.
+ts.Ready = When.FileContains(ts.Disk.traffic_out.Name, "testing emergency shutdown")
 ts.Disk.traffic_out.Content = Testers.ExcludesExpression('failed to shutdown', 'should NOT contain "failed to shutdown"')
 ts.Disk.diags_log.Content = Testers.IncludesExpression('testing emergency shutdown', 'should contain "testing emergency shutdown"')
diff --git a/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/fatal.test.py b/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/fatal.test.py
index a15201e80e4..da7999d8da0 100644
--- a/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/fatal.test.py
+++ b/tests/gold_tests/shutdown/fatal.test.py
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
 tr.Processes.Default.Command = 'printf "Fatal Shutdown Test"'
 tr.Processes.Default.ReturnCode = 0
 tr.Processes.Default.StartBefore(ts)
+tr.Timeout = 5
+
 ts.ReturnCode = 70
-ts.Ready = 0  # Need this to be 0 because we are testing shutdown, this is to make autest not think ats went away for a bad reason.
+ts.Ready = When.FileContains(ts.Disk.traffic_out.Name, "testing fatal shutdown")
 ts.Disk.traffic_out.Content = Testers.ExcludesExpression('failed to shutdown', 'should NOT contain "failed to shutdown"')
 ts.Disk.diags_log.Content = Testers.IncludesExpression('testing fatal shutdown', 'should contain "testing fatal shutdown"')