diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b1c9e055..00122325 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -244,15 +244,6 @@ run:
 		-e DMS_DEBUG=0 \
 		-h mail.my-domain.com -t $(NAME)
 	sleep 15
-	docker run -d --name mail_with_default_relay \
-		-v "`pwd`/test/config/relay-hosts":/tmp/docker-mailserver \
-		-v "`pwd`/test/test-files":/tmp/docker-mailserver-test:ro \
-		-e DEFAULT_RELAY_HOST=default.relay.host.invalid:25 \
-		--cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
-		-e PERMIT_DOCKER=host \
-		-e DMS_DEBUG=0 \
-		-h mail.my-domain.com -t $(NAME)
-	sleep 15
 
 generate-accounts-after-run:
 	docker run --rm -e MAIL_USER=added@localhost.localdomain -e MAIL_PASS=mypassword -t $(NAME) /bin/sh -c 'echo "$$MAIL_USER|$$(doveadm pw -s SHA512-CRYPT -u $$MAIL_USER -p $$MAIL_PASS)"' >> test/config/postfix-accounts.cf
@@ -328,8 +319,7 @@ clean:
 		mail_override_hostname \
 		mail_domainname \
 		mail_srs_domainname \
-		mail_with_relays \
-		mail_with_default_relay 
+		mail_with_relays
 
 	@if [ -d config.bak ]; then\
 		rm -rf config ;\
diff --git a/test/default_relay_host.bats b/test/default_relay_host.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3798f639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/default_relay_host.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+load 'test_helper/common'
+
+function setup() {
+    docker run -d --name mail_with_default_relay \
+		-v "`pwd`/test/config/relay-hosts":/tmp/docker-mailserver \
+		-v "`pwd`/test/test-files":/tmp/docker-mailserver-test:ro \
+		-e DEFAULT_RELAY_HOST=default.relay.host.invalid:25 \
+		--cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
+		-e PERMIT_DOCKER=host \
+		-e DMS_DEBUG=0 \
+		-h mail.my-domain.com -t ${NAME}
+    wait_for_finished_setup_in_container mail_with_default_relay
+}
+
+function teardown() {
+    docker rm -f mail_with_default_relay
+}
+
+#
+# default relay host
+#
+
+@test "checking default relay host: default relay host is added to main.cf" {
+  run docker exec mail_with_default_relay /bin/sh -c 'grep -e "^relayhost = default.relay.host.invalid:25" /etc/postfix/main.cf | wc -l | grep 1'
+  assert_success
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/permit_docker.bats b/test/permit_docker.bats
index 1f005750..4429ab11 100644
--- a/test/permit_docker.bats
+++ b/test/permit_docker.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-load 'test_helper/bats-support/load'
-load 'test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+load 'test_helper/common'
 
 NON_DEFAULT_DOCKER_MAIL_NETWORK_NAME=non-default-docker-mail-network
-NAME=tvial/docker-mailserver:testing
 setup() {
     docker network create --driver bridge ${NON_DEFAULT_DOCKER_MAIL_NETWORK_NAME}
 	docker network create --driver bridge ${NON_DEFAULT_DOCKER_MAIL_NETWORK_NAME}2
@@ -31,7 +29,7 @@ setup() {
 		-t ${NAME}
 
     # wait until postfix is up
-    repeat_until_success_or_timeout 60 docker exec mail_smtponly_second_network /bin/sh -c "nc -z 0.0.0.0 25"
+    wait_for_smtp_port_in_container mail_smtponly_second_network
 }
 
 teardown() {
@@ -41,20 +39,6 @@ teardown() {
     docker network rm ${NON_DEFAULT_DOCKER_MAIL_NETWORK_NAME} ${NON_DEFAULT_DOCKER_MAIL_NETWORK_NAME}2
 }
 
-function repeat_until_success_or_timeout {
-    TIMEOUT=$1
-    STARTTIME=$SECONDS
-    shift 1
-    until "$@"
-    do
-        sleep 5
-        if [[ $(($SECONDS - $STARTTIME )) -gt $TIMEOUT ]]; then
-            echo "Timed out on command: $@"
-            exit 1
-        fi
-    done
-}
-
 @test "checking PERMIT_DOCKER: connected-networks" {
   ipnet1=$(docker network inspect --format '{{(index .IPAM.Config 0).Subnet}}' non-default-docker-mail-network)
   ipnet2=$(docker network inspect --format '{{(index .IPAM.Config 0).Subnet}}' non-default-docker-mail-network2)
diff --git a/test/test_helper/common.bash b/test/test_helper/common.bash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ee7c7d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_helper/common.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+load 'test_helper/bats-support/load'
+load 'test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+
+NAME=tvial/docker-mailserver:testing
+
+# default timeout is 60 seconds
+TEST_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS=${TIMEOUT-60}
+
+function repeat_until_success_or_timeout {
+    if ![[ "$1" ~= '^[0-9]+$' ]]; then
+        echo "First parameter for timeout must be an integer, recieved \"$1\""
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    TIMEOUT=$1
+    STARTTIME=$SECONDS
+    shift 1
+    until "$@"
+    do
+        sleep 5
+        if [[ $(($SECONDS - $STARTTIME )) -gt $TIMEOUT ]]; then
+            echo "Timed out on command: $@"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+# @param $1 name of the postfix container
+function wait_for_smtp_port_in_container() {
+    repeat_until_success_or_timeout $TEST_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS docker exec $1 /bin/sh -c "nc -z 0.0.0.0 25"
+}
+
+# @param $1 name of the postfix container
+function wait_for_finished_setup_in_container() {
+    repeat_until_success_or_timeout $TEST_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS sh -c "docker logs $1 | grep 'Starting mail server'"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/tests.bats b/test/tests.bats
index d3c90408..3d6629ed 100644
--- a/test/tests.bats
+++ b/test/tests.bats
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-load 'test_helper/bats-support/load'
-load 'test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+
 
 
 #
@@ -1816,14 +1815,7 @@ function count_processed_changes() {
   assert_success
 }
 
-#
-# default relay host
-#
 
-@test "checking default relay host: default relay host is added to main.cf" {
-  run docker exec mail_with_default_relay /bin/sh -c 'grep -e "^relayhost = default.relay.host.invalid:25" /etc/postfix/main.cf | wc -l | grep 1'
-  assert_success
-}
 
 #
 # relay hosts