diff --git a/test/TEST-52-HONORFIRSTSHUTDOWN/test.sh b/test/TEST-52-HONORFIRSTSHUTDOWN/test.sh
index 936e801c51..6a1ec9ca29 100755
--- a/test/TEST-52-HONORFIRSTSHUTDOWN/test.sh
+++ b/test/TEST-52-HONORFIRSTSHUTDOWN/test.sh
@@ -14,15 +14,10 @@ TEST_NO_QEMU=1
 # could turn into a reboot if the test fails.
 NSPAWN_TIMEOUT=60
 
-# Remove this file if it exists. This is used along with
-# the make target "finish". Since concrete confirmation is
-# only found from the console during the poweroff.
-rm -f /tmp/honorfirstshutdown.log >/dev/null
-
 check_result_nspawn_hook() {
-    grep -q "Shutdown is already active. Skipping emergency action request" /tmp/honorfirstshutdown.log
+    local workspace="${1:?}"
+
+    "${JOURNALCTL:?}" -D "${workspace:?}/var/log/journal" --grep "Shutdown is already active. Skipping emergency action request" --no-pager
 }
 
-# Note: don't use a pipe in the following expression, as it breaks the trap
-#       handlers we have defined in test/test-functions.
-do_test "$@" > >(tee /tmp/honorfirstshutdown.log)
+do_test "$@"