diff --git a/pkg/cli/extensions_test.go b/pkg/cli/extensions_test.go
index eea82dbc..e7a42baa 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/extensions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/extensions_test.go
@@ -277,15 +277,9 @@ func TestServeSyncExtension(t *testing.T) {
 	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("sync implicitly enabled", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
-					"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot"
+					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
 				"http": {
 					"address": "127.0.0.1",
@@ -316,39 +310,18 @@ func TestServeSyncExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						}]
 					}
 				}
-			}`, port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":null,\"Sync\":{\"Enable\":true")
 	})
 
 	Convey("sync explicitly enabled", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
-					"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot"
+					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
 				"http": {
 					"address": "127.0.0.1",
@@ -380,39 +353,18 @@ func TestServeSyncExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						}]
 					}
 				}
-			}`, port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":null,\"Sync\":{\"Enable\":true")
 	})
 
 	Convey("sync explicitly disabled", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
-					"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot"
+					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
 				"http": {
 					"address": "127.0.0.1",
@@ -434,26 +386,11 @@ func TestServeSyncExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						}]
 					}
 				}
-			}`, port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":null,\"Sync\":{\"Enable\":false")
 	})
 }
@@ -464,15 +401,9 @@ func TestServeScrubExtension(t *testing.T) {
 	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("scrub enabled by scrub interval param set", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 					"storage": {
-						"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot"
+						"rootDirectory": "%s"
 					},
 					"http": {
 						"address": "127.0.0.1",
@@ -487,44 +418,23 @@ func TestServeScrubExtension(t *testing.T) {
 							"interval": "1h"
 						}
 					}
-				}`, port, logFile.Name())
+				}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 		// Even if in config we specified scrub interval=1h, the minimum interval is 2h
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":null,\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":{\"Interval\":3600000000000}") //nolint:lll // gofumpt conflicts with lll
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"Scrub interval set to too-short interval < 2h, changing scrub duration to 2 hours and continuing.")
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "Starting periodic background tasks for")
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "Finishing periodic background tasks for")
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "Starting periodic background tasks for")
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "Finishing periodic background tasks for")
 	})
 
 	Convey("scrub not enabled - scrub interval param not set", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
-					"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot"
+					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
 				"http": {
 					"address": "127.0.0.1",
@@ -538,46 +448,25 @@ func TestServeScrubExtension(t *testing.T) {
 					"scrub": {
 					}
 				}
-			}`, port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":null,\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":null}")
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "Scrub config not provided, skipping scrub")
-		So(string(data), ShouldNotContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "Scrub config not provided, skipping scrub")
+		So(data, ShouldNotContainSubstring,
 			"Scrub interval set to too-short interval < 2h, changing scrub duration to 2 hours and continuing.")
 	})
 }
 
-func TestServeSearchExtension(t *testing.T) {
+func TestServeSearchEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	oldArgs := os.Args
 
 	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("search implicitly enabled", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 					"storage": {
 						"rootDirectory": "%s"
 					},
@@ -593,38 +482,23 @@ func TestServeSearchExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						"search": {
 						}
 					}
-				}`, t.TempDir(), port, logFile.Name())
+				}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":{\"CVE\":{\"UpdateInterval\":86400000000000},\"Enable\":true},\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":null}") //nolint:lll // gofumpt conflicts with lll
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
 	})
+}
+
+func TestServeSearchEnabledCVE(t *testing.T) {
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+
+	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("search implicitly enabled with CVE param set", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 					"storage": {
 						"rootDirectory": "%s"
 					},
@@ -643,41 +517,26 @@ func TestServeSearchExtension(t *testing.T) {
 							}
 						}
 					}
-				}`, t.TempDir(), port, logFile.Name())
+				}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 		// Even if in config we specified updateInterval=1h, the minimum interval is 2h
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":{\"CVE\":{\"UpdateInterval\":3600000000000},\"Enable\":true},\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":null}") //nolint:lll // gofumpt conflicts with lll
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"CVE update interval set to too-short interval < 2h, changing update duration to 2 hours and continuing.")
 	})
+}
+
+func TestServeSearchEnabledNoCVE(t *testing.T) {
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+
+	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("search explicitly enabled, but CVE parameter not set", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
 					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
@@ -694,38 +553,23 @@ func TestServeSearchExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						"enable": true
 					}
 				}
-			}`, t.TempDir(), port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":{\"CVE\":{\"UpdateInterval\":86400000000000},\"Enable\":true},\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":null}") //nolint:lll // gofumpt conflicts with lll
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "updating the CVE database")
 	})
+}
+
+func TestServeSearchDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	oldArgs := os.Args
+
+	defer func() { os.Args = oldArgs }()
 
 	Convey("search explicitly disabled", t, func(c C) {
-		port := GetFreePort()
-		baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
-		logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
-
-		content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+		content := `{
 				"storage": {
 					"rootDirectory": "%s"
 				},
@@ -745,29 +589,64 @@ func TestServeSearchExtension(t *testing.T) {
 						}
 					}
 				}
-			}`, t.TempDir(), port, logFile.Name())
+			}`
 
-		cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
-		_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(content))
-		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		err = cfgfile.Close()
+		data, err := runCLIWithConfig(t.TempDir(), content)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 
-		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
-		go func() {
-			err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
-			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		}()
-		WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
-
-		data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring,
 			"\"Extensions\":{\"Search\":{\"CVE\":{\"UpdateInterval\":10800000000000},\"Enable\":false},\"Sync\":null,\"Metrics\":null,\"Scrub\":null}") //nolint:lll // gofumpt conflicts with lll
-		So(string(data), ShouldContainSubstring, "CVE config not provided, skipping CVE update")
-		So(string(data), ShouldNotContainSubstring,
+		So(data, ShouldContainSubstring, "CVE config not provided, skipping CVE update")
+		So(data, ShouldNotContainSubstring,
 			"CVE update interval set to too-short interval < 2h, changing update duration to 2 hours and continuing.")
 	})
 }
+
+// run cli and return output.
+func runCLIWithConfig(tempDir string, config string) (string, error) {
+	port := GetFreePort()
+	baseURL := GetBaseURL(port)
+
+	logFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-log*.txt")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	defer os.Remove(logFile.Name()) // clean up
+
+	cfgfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "zot-test*.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	config = fmt.Sprintf(config, tempDir, port, logFile.Name())
+
+	defer os.Remove(cfgfile.Name()) // clean up
+
+	_, err = cfgfile.Write([]byte(config))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	err = cfgfile.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "serve", cfgfile.Name()}
+
+	go func() {
+		err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	WaitTillServerReady(baseURL)
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(logFile.Name())
+	So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+	return string(data), nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/extensions/sync/sync_test.go b/pkg/extensions/sync/sync_test.go
index 1b29c0e3..1cb0a2df 100644
--- a/pkg/extensions/sync/sync_test.go
+++ b/pkg/extensions/sync/sync_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -3374,6 +3375,7 @@ func TestSyncOnlyDiff(t *testing.T) {
 		destConfig.Extensions = &extconf.ExtensionConfig{}
 		destConfig.Extensions.Search = nil
 		destConfig.Extensions.Sync = syncConfig
+		destConfig.Log.Output = path.Join(destDir, "sync.log")
 
 		dctlr := api.NewController(destConfig)
 
@@ -3390,32 +3392,18 @@ func TestSyncOnlyDiff(t *testing.T) {
 			dctlr.Shutdown()
 		}()
 
-		// watch .sync subdir, shouldn't be populated
-		done := make(chan bool)
-		var isPopulated bool
-		go func() {
-			for {
-				select {
-				case <-done:
-					return
-				default:
-					fileList, _ := os.ReadDir(path.Join(destDir, testImage, ".sync"))
-					if len(fileList) > 0 {
-						isPopulated = true
-					}
-					time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
-				}
-			}
-		}()
-
 		resp, err := resty.R().Get(destBaseURL + "/v2/" + testImage + "/manifests/" + testImageTag)
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 		So(resp.StatusCode(), ShouldEqual, 200)
 
 		time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
 
-		done <- true
-		So(isPopulated, ShouldBeFalse)
+		body, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path.Join(destDir, "sync.log"))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("unable to read file: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		So(string(body), ShouldContainSubstring, "already synced image")
 	})
 }