diff --git a/test/mail_with_relays.bats b/test/mail_with_relays.bats
index 5ae3e82d..07afab7e 100644
--- a/test/mail_with_relays.bats
+++ b/test/mail_with_relays.bats
@@ -51,11 +51,7 @@ function teardown_file() {
   run docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domainzero.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
   assert_output ''
   run ./setup.sh -c mail_with_relays email add user0@domainzero.tld password123
-  for i in {1..10}; do
-    sleep 1
-    run docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domainzero.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
-    [[ $status == 0 ]] && break
-  done
+  run_until_success_or_timeout 10 docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domainzero.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
   assert_output -e '^@domainzero.tld\s+\[default.relay.com\]:2525$'
 }
 
@@ -63,11 +59,7 @@ function teardown_file() {
   run docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domain2.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
   assert_output ''
   run ./setup.sh -c mail_with_relays alias add user2@domain2.tld user2@domaintwo.tld
-  for i in {1..10}; do
-    sleep 1
-    run docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domain2.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
-    [[ $status == 0 ]] && break
-  done
+  run_until_success_or_timeout 10 docker exec mail_with_relays grep -e domain2.tld /etc/postfix/relayhost_map
   assert_output -e '^@domain2.tld\s+\[default.relay.com\]:2525$'
 }
 
diff --git a/test/test_helper/common.bash b/test/test_helper/common.bash
index 428ddecd..5982cb94 100644
--- a/test/test_helper/common.bash
+++ b/test/test_helper/common.bash
@@ -37,6 +37,27 @@ function repeat_until_success_or_timeout {
     done
 }
 
+# like repeat_until_success_or_timeout but with wrapping the command to run into `run` for later bats consumption
+# @param $1 timeout
+# @param ... test command to run
+function run_until_success_or_timeout {
+    if ! [[ "$1" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        echo "First parameter for timeout must be an integer, recieved \"$1\""
+        return 1
+    fi
+    TIMEOUT=$1
+    STARTTIME=$SECONDS
+    shift 1
+    until run "$@" && [[ $status -eq 0 ]]
+    do
+        sleep 1
+        if [[ $(($SECONDS - $STARTTIME )) -gt $TIMEOUT ]]; then
+            echo "Timed out on command: $@" >&2
+            return 1
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
 # @param $1 timeout
 # @param $2 container name
 # @param ... test command for container