diff --git a/tests/shell/Makefile b/tests/shell/Makefile
index 1f24e1e9471e..58e0ef46c097 100644
--- a/tests/shell/Makefile
+++ b/tests/shell/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ USEMODULE += ps
 RIOT_TERMINAL ?= socat
 
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init
-DISABLE_MODULE += test_utils_interactive_sync
 
 # chronos is missing a getchar implementation
 BOARD_BLACKLIST += chronos
diff --git a/tests/shell/main.c b/tests/shell/main.c
index 43089dbeaba6..684b0db4c96d 100644
--- a/tests/shell/main.c
+++ b/tests/shell/main.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+#include "test_utils/interactive_sync.h"
 #include "shell_commands.h"
 #include "shell.h"
 
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ static const shell_command_t shell_commands[] = {
 
 int main(void)
 {
+    test_utils_interactive_sync();
 
     printf("test_shell.\n");
 
diff --git a/tests/shell/tests/01-run.py b/tests/shell/tests/01-run.py
index 659d18c31461..2581d40dafdd 100755
--- a/tests/shell/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/shell/tests/01-run.py
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
     ('echo a string', '\"echo\"\"a\"\"string\"'),
     ('ps', EXPECTED_PS),
     ('help', EXPECTED_HELP),
-    ('reboot', 'test_shell.'),
     ('end_test', '[TEST_END]'),
 )
 
@@ -75,8 +74,7 @@ def check_cmd(child, cmd, expected):
 
 
 def check_startup(child):
-    child.sendline(CONTROL_C)
-    child.expect_exact(PROMPT)
+    child.expect('test_shell.\r\n')
 
 
 def check_and_get_bufsize(child):