diff --git a/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_allow.sh b/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_allow.sh
index 7472c9ea2559..95b60c4d73a4 100644
--- a/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_allow.sh
+++ b/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_allow.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ snap run --shell prompting-client.scripted -c "echo test4/file.txt is written >
 for dir in test1 test2 test3 ; do
 	name="${dir}/file.txt"
 	echo "Check that create for $name was not actioned by reply for test4/file.txt"
+	# NOTE: if one checks [ -f "${TEST_DIR}/${name}" ], it may kill the blocked create
 	if [ -f "${WRITABLE}/${dir}-finished" ] ; then
 		echo "create of $name finished before create for test5/file.txt started"
 		exit 1
diff --git a/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_deny.sh b/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_deny.sh
index 72f5b292b63d..72672a94a523 100644
--- a/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_deny.sh
+++ b/tests/main/apparmor-prompting-integration-tests/create_multiple_not_actioned_by_other_pid_single_deny.sh
@@ -39,14 +39,10 @@ echo "Attempt to create test4/file.txt (for which client will reply deny single)
 mkdir -p "${TEST_DIR}/test4"
 snap run --shell prompting-client.scripted -c "echo test4/file.txt is written > ${TEST_DIR}/test4/file.txt"
 
-echo "Check that original files have not yet been created"
 for dir in test1 test2 test3 ; do
 	name="${dir}/file.txt"
-	if [ -f "${TEST_DIR}/${name}" ] ; then
-		echo "file creation unexpectedly succeeded early for $name"
-		exit 1
-	fi
 	echo "Check that create for $name was not actioned by reply for test4/file.txt"
+	# NOTE: if one checks [ -f "${TEST_DIR}/${name}" ], it may kill the blocked create
 	if [ -f "${WRITABLE}/${dir}-finished" ] ; then
 		echo "create of $name finished before create for test5/file.txt started"
 		exit 1