diff --git a/test/test-functions b/test/test-functions
index 5e3eadd37f..7b9467cfc1 100644
--- a/test/test-functions
+++ b/test/test-functions
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ BASICTOOLS=(
     sfdisk
     sh
     sleep
-    socat
     stat
     su
     sulogin
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-10.service b/test/units/testsuite-10.service
index 1040763276..f33c1b646a 100644
--- a/test/units/testsuite-10.service
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-10.service
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ ExecStartPre=rm -f /failed /testok
 Type=oneshot
 ExecStart=rm -f /tmp/nonexistent
 ExecStart=systemctl start test10.socket
-ExecStart=sh -x -c 'printf x >test.file'
-ExecStart=-socat -T20 OPEN:test.file UNIX-CONNECT:/run/test.ctl
+ExecStart=-nc -w20 -U /run/test.ctl
 # TriggerLimitIntervalSec= by default is set to 2s. A "sleep 10" should give
 # systemd enough time even on slower machines, to reach the trigger limit.
 ExecStart=sleep 10