diff --git a/test/py/conftest.py b/test/py/conftest.py
index e1674df..38aa3f9 100644
--- a/test/py/conftest.py
+++ b/test/py/conftest.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
             vals = subconfig.get(fn + 's', [])
         metafunc.parametrize(fn, vals)
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
 def u_boot_console(request):
     '''Generate the value of a test's u_boot_console fixture.
 
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ def u_boot_console(request):
         The fixture value.
     '''
 
+    console.ensure_spawned()
     return console
 
 tests_not_run = set()
diff --git a/test/py/tests/test_env.py b/test/py/tests/test_env.py
index a3e8dd3..557c3af 100644
--- a/test/py/tests/test_env.py
+++ b/test/py/tests/test_env.py
@@ -77,11 +77,15 @@ class StateTestEnv(object):
                 return var
             n += 1
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='module')
+ste = None
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
 def state_test_env(u_boot_console):
     '''pytest fixture to provide a StateTestEnv object to tests.'''
 
-    return StateTestEnv(u_boot_console)
+    global ste
+    if not ste:
+        ste = StateTestEnv(u_boot_console)
+    return ste
 
 def unset_var(state_test_env, var):
     '''Unset an environment variable.
diff --git a/test/py/tests/test_sandbox_exit.py b/test/py/tests/test_sandbox_exit.py
index 2aa8eb4..1ec3607 100644
--- a/test/py/tests/test_sandbox_exit.py
+++ b/test/py/tests/test_sandbox_exit.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ def test_reset(u_boot_console):
 
     u_boot_console.run_command('reset', wait_for_prompt=False)
     assert(u_boot_console.validate_exited())
-    u_boot_console.ensure_spawned()
 
 @pytest.mark.boardspec('sandbox')
 def test_ctrl_c(u_boot_console):
@@ -21,4 +20,3 @@ def test_ctrl_c(u_boot_console):
 
     u_boot_console.kill(signal.SIGINT)
     assert(u_boot_console.validate_exited())
-    u_boot_console.ensure_spawned()
diff --git a/test/py/tests/test_sleep.py b/test/py/tests/test_sleep.py
index 64f1ddf..437b6bb 100644
--- a/test/py/tests/test_sleep.py
+++ b/test/py/tests/test_sleep.py
@@ -9,10 +9,6 @@ def test_sleep(u_boot_console):
     '''Test the sleep command, and validate that it sleeps for approximately
     the correct amount of time.'''
 
-    # Do this before we time anything, to make sure U-Boot is already running.
-    # Otherwise, the system boot time is included in the time measurement.
-    u_boot_console.ensure_spawned()
-
     # 3s isn't too long, but is enough to cross a few second boundaries.
     sleep_time = 3
     tstart = time.time()
diff --git a/test/py/u_boot_console_base.py b/test/py/u_boot_console_base.py
index 520f9a9..10fe3db 100644
--- a/test/py/u_boot_console_base.py
+++ b/test/py/u_boot_console_base.py
@@ -144,8 +144,6 @@ class ConsoleBase(object):
                 command string and emitted the subsequent command prompts.
         '''
 
-        self.ensure_spawned()
-
         if self.at_prompt and \
                 self.at_prompt_logevt != self.logstream.logfile.cur_evt:
             self.logstream.write(self.prompt, implicit=True)
diff --git a/test/py/u_boot_console_sandbox.py b/test/py/u_boot_console_sandbox.py
index 88b137e..eb84150 100644
--- a/test/py/u_boot_console_sandbox.py
+++ b/test/py/u_boot_console_sandbox.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ class ConsoleSandbox(ConsoleBase):
             Nothing.
         '''
 
-        self.ensure_spawned()
         self.log.action('kill %d' % sig)
         self.p.kill(sig)