diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
index a236db3d5..9d42a3f80 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
@@ -256,6 +256,11 @@ pub(crate) fn _test_pty_interaction(pty_path: PathBuf) {
         .open(pty_path)
         .unwrap();
 
+    // Read concurrently so we drain the replayed backlog instead of leaving
+    // it stranded behind a non-reading client (which would back-pressure the
+    // sender and never let the login keystrokes through).
+    let ptyc = pty_read(cf.try_clone().unwrap());
+
     // Some dumb sleeps but we don't want to write
     // before the console is up and we don't want
     // to try and write the next line before the
@@ -268,31 +273,28 @@ pub(crate) fn _test_pty_interaction(pty_path: PathBuf) {
     assert_eq!(cf.write(b"echo test_pty_console\n").unwrap(), 22);
     thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::new(2, 0));
 
-    // read pty and ensure they have a login shell
-    // some fairly hacky workarounds to avoid looping
-    // forever in case the channel is blocked getting output
-    let ptyc = pty_read(cf);
-    let mut empty = 0;
     let mut prev = String::new();
-    loop {
+    // The console can stream continuously (e.g. journald forwarded to it), so
+    // bound the wait: a missing marker must not loop until the harness timeout.
+    for _ in 0..20 {
         thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::new(2, 0));
-        match ptyc.try_recv() {
-            Ok(line) => {
-                empty = 0;
-                prev = prev + &line;
-                if prev.contains("test_pty_console") {
-                    break;
+        // Drain everything available this round so a large replayed backlog
+        // does not take one 2s tick per chunk to get through.
+        loop {
+            match ptyc.try_recv() {
+                Ok(line) => {
+                    prev = prev + &line;
+                    if prev.contains("test_pty_console") {
+                        return;
+                    }
                 }
-            }
-            Err(mpsc::TryRecvError::Empty) => {
-                empty += 1;
-                assert!(empty <= 5, "No login on pty");
-            }
-            _ => {
-                panic!("No login on pty")
+                Err(mpsc::TryRecvError::Empty) => break,
+                Err(_) => panic!("No login on pty"),
             }
         }
     }
+    // Bounded out without ever seeing the marker: the login never completed.
+    panic!("No login on pty");
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn test_cpu_topology(
diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/utils.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/utils.rs
index 6a0ce7449..97a86c2db 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/utils.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/utils.rs
@@ -780,14 +780,13 @@ pub(super) fn pty_read(mut pty: std::fs::File) -> Receiver<String> {
     let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel::<String>();
     thread::spawn(move || {
         loop {
-            thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::new(1, 0));
-            let mut buf = [0; 512];
+            let mut buf = [0; 4096];
             match pty.read(&mut buf) {
-                Ok(_bytes) => {
-                    let output = std::str::from_utf8(&buf).unwrap().to_string();
-                    match tx.send(output) {
-                        Ok(_) => (),
-                        Err(_) => break,
+                Ok(0) => break,
+                Ok(bytes) => {
+                    let output = String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf[..bytes]).into_owned();
+                    if tx.send(output).is_err() {
+                        break;
                     }
                 }
                 Err(_) => break,
diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
index 988a49969..19df8a6dd 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
@@ -2536,7 +2536,7 @@ mod common_parallel {
 
         let mut socat_command = Command::new("socat");
         let socat_args = [
-            &format!("pty,link={},raw", serial_socket_pty.display()),
+            &format!("pty,link={},raw,echo=0", serial_socket_pty.display()),
             &format!("UNIX-CONNECT:{}", serial_socket.display()),
         ];
         socat_command.args(socat_args);