diff --git a/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix b/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
index 2d2a9f7167a7..72d172d3885d 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ in
 
       services.accounts-daemon.enable = true; # messages
 
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # sound
-
       # Lomiri-ish setup for Lomiri indicators
       # TODO move into a Lomiri module, once the package set is far enough for the DE to start
 
diff --git a/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix b/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
index b82f09a07ed8..ba917e18c09f 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} :
         user = "alice";
       };
     };
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
     environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.xdotool ];
     services.acpid.enable = true;
     services.connman.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/mate.nix b/nixos/tests/mate.nix
index 1252ec43cf3d..0cadd6d0d5bf 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/mate.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/mate.nix
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ... }: {
     };
 
     services.xserver.desktopManager.mate.enable = true;
-
-    # Silence log spam due to no sound drivers loaded:
-    # ALSA lib confmisc.c:855:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
   };
 
   enableOCR = true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix b/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
index 1bff37981da3..b4e10581219c 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} :
       enable = true;
       user = "alice";
     };
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
   };
 
   testScript = { nodes, ... }: let
diff --git a/nixos/tests/xfce.nix b/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
index d97f07d75271..1cef8daf3d49 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} : {
 
       services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.enable = true;
       environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.xfce.xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin ];
-
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
-
     };
 
   enableOCR = true;