Index: tests/sys/geom/class/eli/attach_test.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/eli/attach_test.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/eli/attach_test.sh
@@ -22,17 +22,13 @@
 
 	# Be sure it doesn't detach on read.
 	atf_check dd if=/dev/${md}.eli of=/dev/null status=none
-	sleep 1
-	if [ ! -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "[ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Detached on last close of a reader"
-	fi
 
 	# It should detach on last close of a writer
 	true > /dev/${md}.eli
-	sleep 1
-	if [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "! [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Did not detach on last close of a writer"
-	fi
 
 }
 attach_d_cleanup()
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/eli/detach_test.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/eli/detach_test.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/eli/detach_test.sh
@@ -22,19 +22,14 @@
 
 	# Be sure it doesn't detach before 'detach -l'.
 	atf_check dd if=/dev/${md}.eli of=/dev/null status=none
-	sleep 1
-	if [ ! -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "[ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "provider detached on last close without detach -l"
-	fi
 	atf_check geli detach -l ${md}
-	if [ ! -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "[ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Provider detached before last close"
-	fi
 	atf_check dd if=/dev/${md}.eli of=/dev/null status=none
-	sleep 1
-	if [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "! [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Provider did not detach on last close"
-	fi
 }
 detach_l_cleanup()
 {
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/eli/kill_test.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/eli/kill_test.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/eli/kill_test.sh
@@ -24,11 +24,9 @@
 
 	# Kill attached provider.
 	atf_check geli kill ${md}
-	sleep 1
 	# Provider should be automatically detached.
-	if [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "! [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Provider did not detach when killed"
-	fi
 
 	# We cannot use keyfile1 anymore.
 	atf_check -s not-exit:0 -e match:"Cannot read metadata" \
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/eli/onetime_test.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/eli/onetime_test.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/eli/onetime_test.sh
@@ -113,17 +113,13 @@
 
 	# Be sure it doesn't detach on read.
 	atf_check dd if=/dev/${md}.eli of=/dev/null status=none
-	sleep 1
-	if [ ! -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "[ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Provider detached when a reader closed"
-	fi
 
 	# It should detach when a writer closes
 	true > /dev/${md}.eli
-	sleep 1
-	if [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]; then
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "! [ -c /dev/${md}.eli ]" ||
 		atf_fail "Provider didn't detach on last close of a writer"
-	fi
 }
 onetime_d_cleanup()
 {
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/gate/ggate_test.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/gate/ggate_test.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/gate/ggate_test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
+ATF_TEST=true
+. $(atf_get_srcdir)/../geom_subr.sh
+
 PIDFILE=ggated.pid
 PLAINFILES=plainfiles
 PORT=33080
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@
 
 	if [ -f "md.devs" ]; then
 		while read test_md; do
-			mdconfig -d -u $test_md 2>/dev/null
+			wait_for 5 0.1 "mdconfig -d -u $test_md"
 		done < md.devs
 		rm md.devs
 	fi
@@ -219,7 +222,6 @@
 {
 	ggate_device=$1
 
-	while [ ! -c $ggate_device ]; do
-		sleep 0.5
-	done
+	wait_for 5 0.1 "[ -c $ggate_device ]" ||
+		atf_fail "ggate device was never created"
 }
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/geom_subr.sh
@@ -5,12 +5,7 @@
 
 devwait()
 {
-	while :; do
-		if [ -c /dev/${class}/${name} ]; then
-			return
-		fi
-		sleep 0.2
-	done
+	wait_for 1000 0.2 "[ -c /dev/${class}/${name} ]"
 }
 
 attach_md()
@@ -73,6 +68,22 @@
 		echo "1..0 # SKIP $error_message"
 		exit 0
 	fi
+}
+
+# wait for a condition to be true
+# wait_for <timeout> <dt> <expression>
+wait_for()
+{
+	local timeout=$1
+	local dt=$2
+	local expression=$3
+	local starttime=$(date '+%s')
+	local endtime=$((starttime + timeout))
+	while ! eval "$expression"; do 
+		curtime=$(date '+%s')
+		[ $curtime -gt $endtime ] && return 1
+		sleep $dt
+	done
 }
 
 : ${ATF_TEST=false}
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/conf.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/conf.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/conf.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@
 
 syncwait()
 {
-	while $(gmirror status -s $name | grep -q SYNCHRONIZING); do
-		sleep 0.1;
-	done
+	wait_for 1000 0.1 "! gmirror status -s $name | grep -q SYNCHRONIZING"
 }
 
 consumerrefs()
Index: tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/sync_error.sh
===================================================================
--- tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/sync_error.sh
+++ tests/sys/geom/class/mirror/sync_error.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 	# a single active disk, gmirror has no choice but to fail the
 	# synchronization and kick the new disk out of the mirror.
 	atf_check gmirror insert $name $md2
-	sleep 0.1
 	syncwait
 	atf_check [ $(gmirror status -s $name | wc -l) -eq 1 ]
 	atf_check -s exit:0 -o match:"DEGRADED  $md1 \(ACTIVE\)" \