diff --git a/nixos/tests/gnome3-gdm.nix b/nixos/tests/gnome3-gdm.nix
index 959030d598802d4..c2808d87d99db70 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/gnome3-gdm.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/gnome3-gdm.nix
@@ -23,11 +23,21 @@ import ./make-test.nix ({ pkgs, ...} : {
       virtualisation.memorySize = 1024;
     };
 
-  testScript =
-    ''
-      # wait for gdm to start and bring up X
+  testScript = let
+    # Keep line widths somewhat managable
+    bus = "DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus";
+    gdbus = "${bus} gdbus";
+    # Call javascript in gnome shell, returns a tuple (success, output), where
+    # `success` is true if the dbus call was successful and output is what the
+    # javascript evaluates to.
+    eval = "call --session -d org.gnome.Shell -o /org/gnome/Shell -m org.gnome.Shell.Eval";
+    # False when startup is done
+    startingUp = "${gdbus} ${eval} Main.layoutManager._startingUp";
+    # Hopefully gnome-terminal's wm class
+    wmClass = "${gdbus} ${eval} global.display.focus_window.wm_class";
+  in ''
+      # wait for gdm to start
       $machine->waitForUnit("display-manager.service");
-      $machine->waitForX;
 
       # wait for alice to be logged in
       $machine->waitForUnit("default.target","alice");
@@ -35,10 +45,16 @@ import ./make-test.nix ({ pkgs, ...} : {
       # Check that logging in has given the user ownership of devices.
       $machine->succeed("getfacl /dev/snd/timer | grep -q alice");
 
-      # open a terminal and check it's there
-      $machine->succeed("su - alice -c 'DISPLAY=:0.0 XAUTHORITY=/run/user/\$UID/gdm/Xauthority gnome-terminal'");
-      $machine->succeed("xauth merge /run/user/1000/gdm/Xauthority");
-      $machine->waitForWindow(qr/Terminal/);
+      # Wait for the wayland server
+      $machine->waitForFile("/run/user/1000/wayland-0");
+
+      # Wait for gnome shell, correct output should be "(true, 'false')"
+      $machine->waitUntilSucceeds("su - alice -c '${startingUp} | grep -q true,..false'");
+
+      # open a terminal
+      $machine->succeed("su - alice -c '${bus} gnome-terminal'");
+      # and check it's there
+      $machine->waitUntilSucceeds("su - alice -c '${wmClass} | grep -q gnome-terminal-server'");
 
       # wait to get a nice screenshot
       $machine->sleep(20);