diff --git a/packages/hardhat-core/test/builtin-tasks/test.ts b/packages/hardhat-core/test/builtin-tasks/test.ts
index 39bc884564..bc21f8477a 100644
--- a/packages/hardhat-core/test/builtin-tasks/test.ts
+++ b/packages/hardhat-core/test/builtin-tasks/test.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe("test task", function () {
     describe("with the default config", function () {
       useEnvironment();
 
-      it("should fail in serial mode because the HRE is shared between test files", async function () {
+      it("should fail in serial mode", async function () {
         await this.env.run("test", {
           noCompile: true,
         });
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe("test task", function () {
         (process as any).exitCode = undefined;
       });
 
-      it("should pass in parallel mode because the HRE is not shared between test files", async function () {
+      it("should pass in parallel mode", async function () {
         await this.env.run("test", {
           noCompile: true,
           parallel: true,
diff --git a/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/check-parallel.js b/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/check-parallel.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd07fe7176
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/check-parallel.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+const assert = require("assert");
+
+describe("parallel tests", function () {
+  it("pass if run in parallel mode", async function () {
+    assert(process.env.MOCHA_WORKER_ID !== undefined);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test1.js b/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test1.js
deleted file mode 100644
index b2e75b83ab..0000000000
--- a/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test1.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-const assert = require("assert");
-
-describe("test suite 1", function () {
-  it("should start with block number 0", async function () {
-    const blockNumber = await network.provider.send("eth_blockNumber");
-
-    assert(blockNumber === "0x0");
-
-    // send a tx to increase the block number
-    const [a] = await network.provider.send("eth_accounts");
-    await network.provider.send("eth_sendTransaction", [
-      {
-        from: a,
-        to: a,
-      },
-    ]);
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test2.js b/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test2.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 126428887d..0000000000
--- a/packages/hardhat-core/test/fixture-projects/test-task/parallel-tests/test/test2.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-const assert = require("assert");
-
-describe("test suite 2", function () {
-  it("should start with block number 0", async function () {
-    const blockNumber = await network.provider.send("eth_blockNumber");
-
-    assert(blockNumber === "0x0");
-
-    // send a tx to increase the block number
-    const [a] = await network.provider.send("eth_accounts");
-    await network.provider.send("eth_sendTransaction", [
-      {
-        from: a,
-        to: a,
-      },
-    ]);
-  });
-});