diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_eap.py b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_eap.py
index c4a794eb5..e3ee3c78e 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_eap.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_eap.py
@@ -3379,7 +3379,11 @@ def test_wpa2_eap_ttls_pap_key_lifetime_in_memory(dev, apdev, params):
     id = eap_connect(dev[0], apdev[0], "TTLS", "pap-secret",
                      anonymous_identity="ttls", password=password,
                      ca_cert="auth_serv/ca.pem", phase2="auth=PAP")
+    # The decrypted copy of GTK is freed only after the CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED
+    # event has been delivered, so verify that wpa_supplicant has returned to
+    # eloop before reading process memory.
     time.sleep(1)
+    dev[0].ping()
     buf = read_process_memory(pid, password)
 
     dev[0].request("DISCONNECT")
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_ft.py b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_ft.py
index 741ab1c4d..7faa5fe74 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_ft.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_ft.py
@@ -600,7 +600,11 @@ def test_ft_psk_key_lifetime_in_memory(dev, apdev, params):
 
     dev[0].connect(ssid, psk=passphrase, key_mgmt="FT-PSK", proto="WPA2",
                    scan_freq="2412")
+    # The decrypted copy of GTK is freed only after the CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED
+    # event has been delivered, so verify that wpa_supplicant has returned to
+    # eloop before reading process memory.
     time.sleep(1)
+    dev[0].ping()
 
     buf = read_process_memory(pid, pmk)
 
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_psk.py b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_psk.py
index cfd1a8043..737ba13c4 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_ap_psk.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_ap_psk.py
@@ -1766,7 +1766,11 @@ def test_wpa2_psk_key_lifetime_in_memory(dev, apdev, params):
     get_key_locations(buf, pmk, "PMK")
 
     dev[0].connect_network(id, timeout=20)
+    # The decrypted copy of GTK is freed only after the CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED
+    # event has been delivered, so verify that wpa_supplicant has returned to
+    # eloop before reading process memory.
     time.sleep(1)
+    dev[0].ping()
 
     buf = read_process_memory(pid, pmk)
 
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_erp.py b/tests/hwsim/test_erp.py
index 1388337bc..e98e2a79b 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_erp.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_erp.py
@@ -246,7 +246,11 @@ def test_erp_key_lifetime_in_memory(dev, apdev, params):
                    ca_cert="auth_serv/ca.pem", phase2="auth=PAP",
                    erp="1", scan_freq="2412")
 
+    # The decrypted copy of GTK is freed only after the CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED
+    # event has been delivered, so verify that wpa_supplicant has returned to
+    # eloop before reading process memory.
     time.sleep(1)
+    dev[0].ping()
     buf = read_process_memory(pid, password)
 
     dev[0].request("DISCONNECT")
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_sae.py b/tests/hwsim/test_sae.py
index 32ee8b113..6449c82b2 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_sae.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_sae.py
@@ -272,7 +272,11 @@ def test_sae_key_lifetime_in_memory(dev, apdev, params):
     id = dev[0].connect("test-sae", psk=password, key_mgmt="SAE",
                         scan_freq="2412")
 
+    # The decrypted copy of GTK is freed only after the CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED
+    # event has been delivered, so verify that wpa_supplicant has returned to
+    # eloop before reading process memory.
     time.sleep(1)
+    dev[0].ping()
     buf = read_process_memory(pid, password)
 
     dev[0].request("DISCONNECT")