diff --git a/tests/kolainst/destructive/boot-automount.sh b/tests/kolainst/destructive/boot-automount.sh
index d6d1732e7c..17e44acaed 100755
--- a/tests/kolainst/destructive/boot-automount.sh
+++ b/tests/kolainst/destructive/boot-automount.sh
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ EOF
     # Check that the finalize and hold services succeeded in the
     # previous boot. Dump them to the test log to help debugging.
     prepare_tmpdir
-    journalctl -b -1 -o short-monotonic \
+    prev_bootid=$(journalctl --list-boots -o json |jq -r '.[] | select(.index == -1) | .boot_id')
+    journalctl -b "${prev_bootid}" -o short-monotonic \
         -u ostree-finalize-staged.service \
         -u ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service \
         -u boot.mount \
@@ -72,10 +73,11 @@ EOF
 
     # Check that the hold service remained active and kept /boot mounted until
     # the finalize service completed.
-    finalize_stopped=$(journalctl -b -1 -o json -g Stopped -u ostree-finalize-staged.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
-    hold_stopping=$(journalctl -b -1 -o json -g Stopping -u ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
-    hold_stopped=$(journalctl -b -1 -o json -g Stopped -u ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
-    boot_unmounting=$(journalctl -b -1 -o json -g Unmounting -u boot.mount | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
+    prev_bootid=$(journalctl --list-boots -o json |jq -r '.[] | select(.index == -1) | .boot_id')
+    finalize_stopped=$(journalctl -b $prev_bootid -o json -g Stopped -u ostree-finalize-staged.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
+    hold_stopping=$(journalctl -b $prev_bootid -o json -g Stopping -u ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
+    hold_stopped=$(journalctl -b $prev_bootid -o json -g Stopped -u ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
+    boot_unmounting=$(journalctl -b $prev_bootid -o json -g Unmounting -u boot.mount | tail -n1 | jq -r .__MONOTONIC_TIMESTAMP)
     test "${finalize_stopped}" -lt "${hold_stopping}"
     test "${hold_stopped}" -lt "${boot_unmounting}"
     ;;
diff --git a/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-delay.sh b/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-delay.sh
index 699c35509f..12cf9d0125 100755
--- a/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-delay.sh
+++ b/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-delay.sh
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ rpm-ostree kargs --append=somedummykarg=1
 ;;
 
 "2")
-journalctl -b -1 -u ostree-finalize-staged > logs.txt
+prev_bootid=$(journalctl --list-boots -o json |jq -r '.[] | select(.index == -1) | .boot_id')
+journalctl -b $prev_bootid -u ostree-finalize-staged > logs.txt
 assert_file_has_content_literal logs.txt 'ostree-finalize-staged found /boot/loader/entries'
 # older systemd doesn't output the success message
 if systemctl --version | head -1 | grep -qF -e 'systemd 239'; then
diff --git a/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-deploy.sh b/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-deploy.sh
index 01c2b48916..ff6f8d7a8d 100755
--- a/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-deploy.sh
+++ b/tests/kolainst/destructive/staged-deploy.sh
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ EOF
     # Check that deploy-staged service worked
     rpm-ostree status
     # Assert that the previous boot had a journal entry for it
-    journalctl -b "-1" -u ostree-finalize-staged.service > svc.txt
+    prev_bootid=$(journalctl --list-boots -o json |jq -r '.[] | select(.index == -1) | .boot_id')
+    journalctl -b $prev_bootid -u ostree-finalize-staged.service > svc.txt
     assert_file_has_content svc.txt 'Bootloader updated; bootconfig swap: yes;.*deployment count change: 1'
     # Also validate ignoring socket and fifo
     assert_file_has_content svc.txt 'Ignoring.*during /etc merge:.*sock-to-ignore'