diff --git a/tools/ratbagctl.test.in b/tools/ratbagctl.test.in
index 1dc81a62..09f7502a 100755
--- a/tools/ratbagctl.test.in
+++ b/tools/ratbagctl.test.in
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class TestRatbagCtl(unittest.TestCase):
         error = sys.stderr.getvalue()
         sys.stdout = stdout
         sys.stderr = stderr
+        toolbox.sync_dbus()
         return returncode, output.rstrip('\n'), error.rstrip('\n')
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tools/toolbox.py b/tools/toolbox.py
index b1d753d0..2508fb13 100644
--- a/tools/toolbox.py
+++ b/tools/toolbox.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 
+from gi.repository import GLib
+
 # various constants
 RATBAGCTL_NAME = 'ratbagctl'
 RATBAGCTL_PATH = os.path.join('@MESON_BUILD_ROOT@', RATBAGCTL_NAME)
@@ -100,6 +102,12 @@ def terminate_ratbagd(ratbagd):
         ratbagd.kill()
     os.unlink(DBUS_CONF_PATH)
 
+def sync_dbus():
+    main_context = GLib.MainContext.default()
+    while main_context.pending():
+        main_context.iteration(False)
+
+
 ratbagctl = import_non_standard_path(RATBAGCTL_NAME, RATBAGCTL_PATH)
 
 from ratbagctl import open_ratbagd, get_parser, RatbagError, RatbagErrorCapability