diff --git a/securesystemslib/signer/_hsm_signer.py b/securesystemslib/signer/_hsm_signer.py
index c01a5ebc..e0e1a5d6 100644
--- a/securesystemslib/signer/_hsm_signer.py
+++ b/securesystemslib/signer/_hsm_signer.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def pin_handler(secret: str) -> str:
 
     Arguments:
         hsm_keyid: Key identifier on the token.
-        token_filter: dictionary of token field names and values
+        token_filter: Dictionary of token field names and values
         public_key: The related public key instance.
         pin_handler: A function that returns the HSM user login pin, needed for
                 signing. It receives the string argument "pin".
@@ -159,10 +159,13 @@ def _get_session(filters: Dict[str, str]) -> Iterator["PyKCS11.Session"]:
         more than one are found.
         """
         lib = PYKCS11LIB()
-        slots: List[int] = lib.getSlotList(tokenPresent=True)
-        matching_slots: List[int] = []
-        for slot in slots:
+        slots: List[int] = []
+        for slot in lib.getSlotList(tokenPresent=True):
             tokeninfo = lib.getTokenInfo(slot)
+            if not tokeninfo.flags & PyKCS11.CKF_TOKEN_INITIALIZED:
+                # useful for tests (softhsm always has an unitialized token)
+                continue
+
             match = True
             # all values in filters must match token fields
             for key, value in filters.items():
@@ -171,14 +174,14 @@ def _get_session(filters: Dict[str, str]) -> Iterator["PyKCS11.Session"]:
                     match = False
 
             if match:
-                matching_slots.append(slot)
+                slots.append(slot)
 
-        if len(matching_slots) != 1:
+        if len(slots) != 1:
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Found {len(matching_slots)} slots/tokens matching filter {filters}"
+                f"Found {len(slots)} slots/tokens matching filter {filters}"
             )
 
-        session = lib.openSession(matching_slots[0])
+        session = lib.openSession(slots[0])
         try:
             yield session
 
@@ -234,7 +237,14 @@ def _build_token_filter(cls) -> Dict[str, str]:
         """
 
         lib = PYKCS11LIB()
-        slots: List[int] = lib.getSlotList(tokenPresent=True)
+        slots: List[int] = []
+        for slot in lib.getSlotList(tokenPresent=True):
+            tokeninfo = lib.getTokenInfo(slot)
+            if not tokeninfo.flags & PyKCS11.CKF_TOKEN_INITIALIZED:
+                # useful for tests (softhsm always has an unitialized token)
+                continue
+            slots.append(slot)
+
         if len(slots) != 1:
             raise ValueError(f"Expected 1 token/slot, found {len(slots)}")
         filters = {}
diff --git a/tests/test_hsm_signer.py b/tests/test_hsm_signer.py
index b844afee..00a4b8e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_hsm_signer.py
+++ b/tests/test_hsm_signer.py
@@ -114,10 +114,8 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
         slot = lib.getSlotList(tokenPresent=True)[0]
         lib.initToken(slot, so_pin, token_label)
 
-        # suddenly there are two slots (why?), use label to filter in tests
         tokeninfo = lib.getTokenInfo(slot)
         cls.token_filter = {"label": getattr(tokeninfo, "label")}
-        print(cls.token_filter)
 
         session = PYKCS11LIB().openSession(slot, PyKCS11.CKF_RW_SESSION)
         session.login(so_pin, PyKCS11.CKU_SO)
@@ -156,6 +154,17 @@ def test_hsm(self):
     def test_hsm_uri(self):
         """Test HSM default key export and signing from URI."""
 
+        # default import
+        uri, key = HSMSigner.import_()
+        signer = Signer.from_priv_key_uri(
+            uri, key, lambda sec: self.hsm_user_pin
+        )
+        sig = signer.sign(b"DATA")
+        key.verify_signature(sig, b"DATA")
+        with self.assertRaises(UnverifiedSignatureError):
+            key.verify_signature(sig, b"NOT DATA")
+
+        # Import with specified values
         uri, key = HSMSigner.import_(self.hsm_keyid_default, self.token_filter)
         signer = Signer.from_priv_key_uri(
             uri, key, lambda sec: self.hsm_user_pin