diff --git a/test/flux_source_test.go b/test/flux_source_test.go
index f8a4f209..a69682b3 100644
--- a/test/flux_source_test.go
+++ b/test/flux_source_test.go
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 
 		It("is marked as failed and to be retried", func() {
 			waitForStackFailure(stack)
-			refetch(stack)
 			reconcilingCondition := apimeta.FindStatusCondition(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReconcilingCondition)
 			Expect(reconcilingCondition).ToNot(BeNil())
 			Expect(reconcilingCondition.Reason).To(Equal(pulumiv1.ReconcilingRetryReason))
@@ -258,7 +257,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 			})
 
 			It("records the revision from the source", func() {
-				refetch(stack)
 				Expect(stack.Status.LastUpdate).NotTo(BeNil())
 				Expect(stack.Status.LastUpdate.LastSuccessfulCommit).To(Equal(artifactRevision))
 			})
@@ -280,7 +278,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 
 			It("marks the stack as failed and to be retried", func() {
 				waitForStackFailure(stack)
-				refetch(stack)
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReconcilingCondition)).To(BeTrue())
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReadyCondition)).To(BeFalse())
 
@@ -297,7 +294,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 				Expect(k8sClient.Status().Update(context.TODO(), source)).To(Succeed())
 
 				waitForStackSuccess(stack)
-				refetch(stack)
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReadyCondition)).To(BeTrue())
 			})
 		})
@@ -312,7 +308,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 			It("rejects the tarball and fails with a retry", func() {
 				resetWaitForStack()
 				waitForStackFailure(stack)
-				refetch(stack)
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReconcilingCondition)).To(BeTrue())
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReadyCondition)).To(BeFalse())
 			})
@@ -327,7 +322,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Flux source integration", func() {
 
 			It("marks the Stack as failed and to be retried", func() {
 				waitForStackFailure(stack)
-				refetch(stack)
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReconcilingCondition)).To(BeTrue())
 				Expect(apimeta.IsStatusConditionTrue(stack.Status.Conditions, pulumiv1.ReadyCondition)).To(BeFalse())
 			})
diff --git a/test/suite_test.go b/test/suite_test.go
index 21e3c462..6486a8ba 100644
--- a/test/suite_test.go
+++ b/test/suite_test.go
@@ -151,17 +151,18 @@ func resetWaitForStack() {
 	waitForStackSince = time.Now()
 }
 
+// internalWaitForStackState refetches the given stack, until its .lastUpdated.state field matches
+// the one given. NB it fetches into the pointer given, so mutates the struct it's pointing at.
 func internalWaitForStackState(stack *pulumiv1.Stack, state shared.StackUpdateStateMessage) {
 	EventuallyWithOffset(2 /* called by other helpers */, func() bool {
 		k := client.ObjectKeyFromObject(stack)
-		var s pulumiv1.Stack
-		err := k8sClient.Get(context.TODO(), k, &s)
+		err := k8sClient.Get(context.TODO(), k, stack)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false
 		}
-		return s.Status.LastUpdate != nil &&
-			s.Status.LastUpdate.State == state &&
-			s.Status.LastUpdate.LastResyncTime.Time.After(waitForStackSince)
+		return stack.Status.LastUpdate != nil &&
+			stack.Status.LastUpdate.State == state &&
+			stack.Status.LastUpdate.LastResyncTime.Time.After(waitForStackSince)
 	}, "30s", "1s").Should(BeTrue(), fmt.Sprintf("stack %q reaches state %q", stack.Name, state))
 }