diff --git a/tests/login.nix b/tests/login.nix
index cfc0b6c8f68..47649b47afc 100644
--- a/tests/login.nix
+++ b/tests/login.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
       # Log in as alice on a virtual console.
       subtest "virtual console login", sub {
           $machine->waitForJob("tty1");
+          $machine->sleep(2); # urgh: wait for username prompt
           $machine->sendChars("alice\n");
           $machine->waitUntilSucceeds("pgrep login");
           $machine->sleep(2); # urgh: wait for `Password:'