diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-abbr.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-abbr.fish
index a822b540c890..d2a040117d0f 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-abbr.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-abbr.fish
@@ -11,33 +11,27 @@ isolated-tmux-start
 
 # Expand abbreviations on space.
 isolated-tmux send-keys abbr-test Space arg1 Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test [expanded] arg1
 
 # Expand abbreviations at the cursor when executing.
 isolated-tmux send-keys abbr-test Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test [expanded]
 
 # Use Control+Z right after abbreviation expansion, to keep going without expanding.
 isolated-tmux send-keys abbr-test Space C-z arg2 Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test arg2
 
 # Same with a redundant space; it does not expand abbreviations.
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u abbr-test Space C-z Space arg2 Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test  arg2
 
 # Or use Control+Space ("bind -k nul") to the same effect.
 isolated-tmux send-keys abbr-test C-Space arg3 Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test arg3
 
 # Do not expand abbrevation if the cursor is not at the command, even if it's just white space.
 # This makes the behavior more consistent with the above two scenarios.
 isolated-tmux send-keys abbr-test C-Space Enter
-tmux-sleep
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}> abbr-test
 
 # CHECK: prompt {{\d+}}>
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-autosuggestion.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-autosuggestion.fish
index ba6175a3a220..883e93b5f636 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-autosuggestion.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-autosuggestion.fish
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@
 isolated-tmux-start
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo "foo bar baz"' Enter C-l
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo '
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys M-Right
+tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 1> echo "foo bar baz"
-tmux-sleep
 
 touch COMPL
 
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 2> : ./COMPL
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u C-k C-l ': ./CO'
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys A C-h
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-bind.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-bind.fish
index 54c8f4f6f822..c7e3bd53c1e7 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-bind.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-bind.fish
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: echo abcde
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-l
 isolated-tmux send-keys begin Enter 'echo 1' Enter e n d C-p 23
 tmux-sleep
@@ -22,10 +21,17 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 
 # regression test
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c # not sure why we need to wait after this
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'bind S begin-selection' Enter C-l
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo one two threeS' C-u C-y
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 1> echo one two three
+
+isolated-tmux send-keys "function prepend; commandline --cursor 0; commandline -i echo; end" Enter
+isolated-tmux send-keys "bind ctrl-g prepend" Enter
+isolated-tmux send-keys C-l
+isolated-tmux send-keys 'printf'
+isolated-tmux send-keys C-g Space
+tmux-sleep
+isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
+# CHECK: prompt 2> echo printf
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-bind2.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-bind2.fish
deleted file mode 100644
index 9825a6cb09da..000000000000
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-bind2.fish
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#RUN: %fish %s
-#REQUIRES: command -v tmux
-
-isolated-tmux-start
-
-isolated-tmux send-keys "function prepend; commandline --cursor 0; commandline -i echo; end" Enter
-isolated-tmux send-keys "bind ctrl-g prepend" Enter
-isolated-tmux send-keys C-l
-isolated-tmux send-keys 'printf'
-isolated-tmux send-keys C-g Space
-tmux-sleep
-isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
-# CHECK: prompt 2> echo printf
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-complete.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-complete.fish
index 820af9619cef..edd28ddbe4f0 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-complete.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-complete.fish
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | sed -n '1p;$p'
 # Canceling the pager removes the inserted completion, no matter what happens in the search field.
 # The common prefix remains because it is inserted before the pager is shown.
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-l foo2 Space BTab b BSpace b Escape
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 
 # Check that down-or-search works even when the pager is not selected.
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u foo2 Space Tab
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys Down
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
@@ -79,7 +77,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 5> foo2 aabc old-arg
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u 'echo suggest this' Enter C-l
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo sug' C-w C-z
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
@@ -87,9 +84,7 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u 'bind ctrl-s forward-single-char' Enter C-l
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo suggest thi'
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-s
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-s
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
@@ -97,7 +92,6 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo sugg' C-a
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-e M-f Space nothing
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
@@ -106,13 +100,18 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u 'bind \cs forward-char-passive' Enter C-l
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u 'bind \cb backward-char-passive' Enter C-l
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u 'echo do not accept this' Enter C-l
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo do not accept thi' C-b C-b DC C-b C-s 'h'
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-s C-s C-s 'x'
+tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 10> echo do not accept thix
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-u C-l ': {*,' Tab Tab Space ,
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 10> : {*,cmake/ ,{{.*}}
+
+isolated-tmux send-keys 'touch ~/"path with spaces"' Enter C-l \
+    'cat ~/space' Tab
+tmux-sleep
+isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
+# CHECK: prompt 11> cat ~/path\ with\ spaces
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-complete2.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-complete2.fish
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ef0ea118723..000000000000
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-complete2.fish
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#RUN: %fish %s
-#REQUIRES: command -v tmux
-#REQUIRES: uname -r | grep -qv Microsoft
-# cautiously disable because tmux-complete.fish is disabled
-#REQUIRES: test -z "$CI"
-
-isolated-tmux-start
-
-isolated-tmux send-keys 'touch ~/"path with spaces"' Enter C-l \
-    'cat ~/space' Tab
-tmux-sleep
-isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
-# CHECK: prompt 1> cat ~/path\ with\ spaces
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-history-search.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-history-search.fish
index 030346f5c5ab..7ca41276d14a 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-history-search.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-history-search.fish
@@ -13,10 +13,8 @@ isolated-tmux-start
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'true needle' Enter
 # CHECK: prompt 0> true needle
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'true hay ee hay' Enter
 # CHECK: prompt 1> true hay ee hay
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-p C-a M-f M-f M-f M-.
 # CHECK: prompt 2> true hay needle hay
 tmux-sleep
@@ -33,9 +31,9 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | grep 'prompt 2'
 
 # When history pager fails to find a result, copy the search field to the command line.
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-e C-u C-r "echo no such command in history"
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys Enter
 # CHECK: prompt 2> echo no such command in history
+tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | grep 'prompt 2'
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c
 
@@ -43,6 +41,7 @@ isolated-tmux send-keys C-r hay/shmay
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-w C-h
 isolated-tmux send-keys Enter
 # CHECK: prompt 2> true hay ee hay
+tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | grep 'prompt 2>'
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c
 
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 #CHECK: prompt 5> echo 2
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-c
-tmux-sleep
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys "echo sdifjsdoifjsdoifj" Enter
 tmux-sleep
@@ -60,9 +58,7 @@ isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | grep "^sdifjsdoifjsdoifj\|prompt 6>"
 # CHECK: sdifjsdoifjsdoifj
 # CHECK: prompt 6>
 isolated-tmux send-keys C-e C-u C-r
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys "echo sdifjsdoifjsdoifj"
-tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux send-keys M-d # alt-d
 tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p | grep "(no matches)"
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-job.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-job.fish
index 25b9a72a664b..ca8f717e3d74 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-job.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-job.fish
@@ -5,12 +5,10 @@ isolated-tmux-start
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys \
     "sleep 0.5 &" Enter
-sleep 0.1
 isolated-tmux send-keys \
     "echo hello"
-sleep 0.6
 isolated-tmux send-keys Space world
-sleep 0.1
+tmux-sleep
 isolated-tmux capture-pane -p
 # CHECK: prompt 0> sleep 0.5 &
 # CHECK: prompt 0> echo hello
diff --git a/tests/checks/tmux-transient.fish b/tests/checks/tmux-transient.fish
index c595fbe60152..d04d633aba0f 100644
--- a/tests/checks/tmux-transient.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/tmux-transient.fish
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ set -g isolated_tmux_fish_extra_args -C '
 '
 
 isolated-tmux-start
+tmux-sleep
 
 isolated-tmux send-keys 'echo foo' Enter
 tmux-sleep