diff --git a/test/check-application b/test/check-application
index 6161dda57..12721b92c 100755
--- a/test/check-application
+++ b/test/check-application
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ class TestApplication(testlib.MachineCase):
 
         # clean slate, and install our test images
         INIT = """for img in /var/lib/test-images/*.tar; do podman load < "$img"; done
+                  pkill -e -9 podman || true
+                  while pgrep podman; do sleep 0.1; done
+                  pkill -e -9 conmon || true
+                  while pgrep conmon; do sleep 0.1; done
+                  findmnt --list -otarget | grep /var/lib/containers/. | xargs -r umount
+                  sync
                   systemctl {user} --now enable podman.socket"""
         m.execute(INIT.format(user=""))