diff --git a/nixos/tests/lomiri-calculator-app.nix b/nixos/tests/lomiri-calculator-app.nix
index 14d8073611f2..5eb26beef2bb 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/lomiri-calculator-app.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/lomiri-calculator-app.nix
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@
     machine.wait_for_x()
 
     with subtest("lomiri calculator launches"):
-        machine.execute("lomiri-calculator-app >&2 &")
+        machine.succeed("lomiri-calculator-app >&2 &")
+        machine.wait_for_console_text("Database upgraded to") # only on first run
+        machine.sleep(10)
+        machine.send_key("alt-f10")
+        machine.sleep(5)
         machine.wait_for_text("Calculator")
         machine.screenshot("lomiri-calculator")
 
@@ -48,7 +52,11 @@
     machine.succeed("pkill -f lomiri-calculator-app")
 
     with subtest("lomiri calculator localisation works"):
-        machine.execute("env LANG=de_DE.UTF-8 lomiri-calculator-app >&2 &")
+        machine.succeed("env LANG=de_DE.UTF-8 lomiri-calculator-app >&2 &")
+        machine.wait_for_console_text("using main qml file from") # less precise, but the app doesn't exactly log a whole lot
+        machine.sleep(10)
+        machine.send_key("alt-f10")
+        machine.sleep(5)
         machine.wait_for_text("Rechner")
         machine.screenshot("lomiri-calculator_localised")