diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_api.py b/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_api.py
index 864c6d5eda9..e7c730acc94 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_api.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import platform
 import re
 import resource
-import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import packaging.version
@@ -1020,12 +1019,9 @@ def test_api_balloon(uvm_nano):
         )
 
     # Start the microvm.
+    test_microvm.add_net_iface()
     test_microvm.start()
 
-    # Give the balloon driver time to initialize.
-    # 500 ms is the maximum acceptable boot time.
-    time.sleep(0.5)
-
     # But updating should be OK.
     test_microvm.api.balloon.patch(amount_mib=4)
 
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_net.py b/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_net.py
index 2490d148958..7abf23406d5 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_net.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/functional/test_net.py
@@ -108,9 +108,12 @@ def test_tap_offload(uvm_any):
     # Start a UDP server in the guest
     # vm.ssh.check_output(f"nohup socat UDP-LISTEN:{port} - > {out_filename} &")
     vm.ssh.check_output(
-        f"nohup socat UDP4-LISTEN:{port} OPEN:{out_filename},creat > /dev/null 2>&1 &"
+        f"nohup socat UDP4-LISTEN:{port} CREATE:{out_filename} > /dev/null 2>&1 &"
     )
 
+    # wait for socat server to spin up
+    time.sleep(1)
+
     # Try to send a UDP message from host with UDP offload enabled
     vm.netns.check_output(f"python3 ./host_tools/udp_offload.py {vm.ssh.host} {port}")