diff --git a/test/test_container_application.py b/test/test_container_application.py
index d7328d47..f6b85994 100644
--- a/test/test_container_application.py
+++ b/test/test_container_application.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def test_application(self, build_s2i_app, container_args):
         )
         assert ContainerImage.wait_for_cid(cid_file_name=cid_file_name)
         python_version = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
-            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo \\$PYTHON_VERSION"
+            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo $PYTHON_VERSION"
         ).strip()
         python_version_output = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
             cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="python --version"
@@ -102,10 +102,10 @@ def test_unstable_test(self, unstable_app):
             cid_file_name=cid_file_name,
             container_args=s2i_app_unstable,
         )
-        assert ContainerImage.wait_for_cid(cid_file_name=cid_file_name)
         python_version = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
-            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo \\$PYTHON_VERSION"
+            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo $PYTHON_VERSION"
         ).strip()
+        assert ContainerImage.wait_for_cid(cid_file_name=cid_file_name)
         python_version_output = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
             cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="python --version"
         )
diff --git a/test/test_container_basics.py b/test/test_container_basics.py
index f7b17d9a..41d99b7f 100644
--- a/test/test_container_basics.py
+++ b/test/test_container_basics.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def test_scl_usage(self):
         Test if python --version returns proper output
         """
         python_version = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
-            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo \\$PYTHON_VERSION"
+            cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="echo $PYTHON_VERSION"
         ).strip()
         python_version_output = PodmanCLIWrapper.podman_run_command_and_remove(
             cid_file_name=VARS.IMAGE_NAME, cmd="python --version"