diff --git a/dcop/tests/run-tests.sh b/dcop/tests/run-tests.sh
index dc3640511..0d0b02aad 100644
--- a/dcop/tests/run-tests.sh
+++ b/dcop/tests/run-tests.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ clean_up
 # create temporary home
 export HOME=$PWD/test-home
 mkdir $HOME
+export ICEAUTHORITY=$HOME/.ICEauthority
 
+echo '* Starting dcop server'
 ../dcopserver --nofork &
 DCOP_SERVER_PID=$!
 
@@ -22,6 +24,10 @@ die() {
 }
 
 trap 'die "The script interrupted by user"' 2 15
+while ! ../dcopserver --serverid 2>/dev/null; do
+  echo '* Wait for the dcop server'
+  sleep 2
+done
 
 echo '* Running batch mode'
 ./dcop_test --batch >batch.stdout || die "Failed to run dcop_test"
diff --git a/tdeio/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tdeio/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 323a7d86e..e9f5ea5ff 100644
--- a/tdeio/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tdeio/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ configure_file( kmimetypetest.sh.cmake kmimetypetest.sh @ONLY )
 add_test( NAME "tdeio/kmimetypetest"
     COMMAND sh -x "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/kmimetypetest.sh"
     WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" )
+set_tests_properties( "tdeio/kmimetypetest" PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 30)
 
 
 # TODO add kdirwatchunittest
diff --git a/tdeio/tests/kmimetypetest.sh.cmake b/tdeio/tests/kmimetypetest.sh.cmake
index 3bcd98669..55a0ffbc6 100644
--- a/tdeio/tests/kmimetypetest.sh.cmake
+++ b/tdeio/tests/kmimetypetest.sh.cmake
@@ -5,11 +5,16 @@ HOME=@CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR@/test-home
 mkdir $HOME $HOME/.trinity $HOME/.trinity/share
 ln -s @CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR@/mimetypes $HOME/.trinity/share/mimelnk
 export HOME
+export ICEAUTHORITY=$HOME/.ICEauthority
 
 # run dcop server
 ../../dcop/dcopserver --nofork &
 DCOP_SERVER_PID=$!
 
+while ! ../../dcop/dcopserver --serverid 2>/dev/null; do
+  sleep 2
+done
+
 # update tdesycoca using mime types from source
 ../../kded/tdebuildsycoca --noincremental --nosignal
 
diff --git a/tdewallet/backend/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tdewallet/backend/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 275891ae7..abc703a7c 100644
--- a/tdewallet/backend/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tdewallet/backend/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ tde_add_check_executable( backendtest AUTOMOC
     LINK tdewalletbackend-shared tdewalletclient-shared )
 add_test( NAME "tdewallet/backed/backendtest"
     COMMAND sh -x "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/backendtest.sh" )
+set_tests_properties( "tdewallet/backed/backendtest" PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 30)
 tde_add_check_executable( testbf AUTOMOC
     SOURCES testbf.cpp ../blockcipher.cc ../blowfish.cc
     LINK tdewalletbackend-shared tdewalletclient-shared TEST )
diff --git a/tdewallet/backend/tests/backendtest.sh b/tdewallet/backend/tests/backendtest.sh
index d3a6ef0e1..d4f1ba686 100644
--- a/tdewallet/backend/tests/backendtest.sh
+++ b/tdewallet/backend/tests/backendtest.sh
@@ -3,11 +3,16 @@
 # create temporary home
 export HOME=$PWD/test-home
 mkdir $HOME
+export ICEAUTHORITY=$HOME/.ICEauthority
 
 # run dcop server
 ../../../dcop/dcopserver --nofork &
 DCOP_SERVER_PID=$!
 
+while ! ../../../dcop/dcopserver --serverid 2>/dev/null; do
+  sleep 2
+done
+
 # perform test
 ./backendtest
 STATE=$?