diff --git a/internal/dataplane/kong_client_test.go b/internal/dataplane/kong_client_test.go
index ce23e71641..78da91f61f 100644
--- a/internal/dataplane/kong_client_test.go
+++ b/internal/dataplane/kong_client_test.go
@@ -240,8 +240,6 @@ func (m mockConfigurationChangeDetector) HasConfigurationChanged(
 }
 
 func TestKongClientUpdate_AllExpectedClientsAreCalledAndErrorIsPropagated(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
 	var (
 		ctx                = context.Background()
 		testKonnectClient  = mustSampleKonnectClient(t)
@@ -409,8 +407,6 @@ func (p *mockKongConfigBuilder) returnTranslationFailures(enabled bool) {
 }
 
 func TestKongClientUpdate_ConfigStatusIsAlwaysNotified(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
 	var (
 		ctx               = context.Background()
 		testKonnectClient = mustSampleKonnectClient(t)
@@ -525,7 +521,8 @@ func newFakeEventsRecorder() *record.FakeRecorder {
 
 	// Ingest events to unblock writing side.
 	go func() {
-		for range eventRecorder.Events {
+		for {
+			<-eventRecorder.Events
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/internal/konnect/node_agent_test.go b/internal/konnect/node_agent_test.go
index 64b7fece86..ba0de07441 100644
--- a/internal/konnect/node_agent_test.go
+++ b/internal/konnect/node_agent_test.go
@@ -273,10 +273,9 @@ func TestNodeAgentUpdateNodes(t *testing.T) {
 			)
 
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-			agentReturned := make(chan struct{})
+			defer cancel()
 			go func() {
-				require.NoError(t, nodeAgent.Start(ctx))
-				close(agentReturned)
+				_ = nodeAgent.Start(ctx)
 			}()
 
 			if tc.configStatus != nil {
@@ -323,21 +322,11 @@ func TestNodeAgentUpdateNodes(t *testing.T) {
 
 				return true
 			}, timeout, tick)
-
-			// Cancel the context and wait for the nodeAgent.Start() to return.
-			cancel()
-			select {
-			case <-time.After(timeout):
-				t.Fatal("expected the agent to return after the context was cancelled")
-			case <-agentReturned:
-			}
 		})
 	}
 }
 
 func TestNodeAgent_StartDoesntReturnUntilContextGetsCancelled(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
 	nodeClient := newMockNodeClient(nil)
 	// Always return errors from ListNodes to ensure that the agent doesn't propagate it to the Start() caller.
 	// ListNodes is the first call made by the agent in Start(), so we care only about this one.
@@ -402,10 +391,8 @@ func TestNodeAgent_ControllerNodeStatusGetsUpdatedOnStatusNotification(t *testin
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
-	agentReturned := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
-		require.NoError(t, nodeAgent.Start(ctx))
-		close(agentReturned)
+		_ = nodeAgent.Start(ctx)
 	}()
 
 	testCases := []struct {
@@ -457,7 +444,7 @@ func TestNodeAgent_ControllerNodeStatusGetsUpdatedOnStatusNotification(t *testin
 				}
 
 				return true
-			}, time.Second, time.Millisecond*10)
+			}, time.Second, time.Millisecond)
 		})
 	}
 }