diff --git a/tests/acceptance/17_packages/11_old/unsafe/package-inventory.cf b/tests/acceptance/17_packages/11_old/unsafe/package-inventory.cf
index 9d39338af8..67231156dd 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/17_packages/11_old/unsafe/package-inventory.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/17_packages/11_old/unsafe/package-inventory.cf
@@ -89,10 +89,14 @@ bundle agent check
   vars:
     "inst" string => "$(sys.workdir)/state/software_packages.csv";
     "inst_expr" string => "^($(p.name[1])|$(p.name[2])|$(p.name[3])),.*";
-    "inst_matches" int => countlinesmatching("$(inst_expr)", "$(inst)");
+    "inst_matches"
+      int => countlinesmatching("$(inst_expr)", "$(inst)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(inst)");
     "upd" string => "$(sys.workdir)/state/software_patches_avail.csv";
     "upd_expr" string => "^($(p.name[1])|$(p.name[2])|$(p.name[3])),.*";
-    "upd_matches" int => countlinesmatching("$(upd_expr)", "$(upd)");
+    "upd_matches"
+      int => countlinesmatching("$(upd_expr)", "$(upd)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(upd)");
 
   classes:
     # Should match all packages except the second one.
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/17_packages/packages-info.cf.sub b/tests/acceptance/17_packages/packages-info.cf.sub
index 2840ddd9ca..978b789844 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/17_packages/packages-info.cf.sub
+++ b/tests/acceptance/17_packages/packages-info.cf.sub
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ bundle agent clear_packages(key)
 
   commands:
     redhat|suse|sles::
-      "$(paths.path[rpm]) -e --allmatches $(p.name[$(p.packages)]) $(output_sink)"
+      # Only remove installed packages, rpm -e fails on missing ones
+      "! $(paths.path[rpm]) -q $(p.name[$(p.packages)]) > $(G.dev_null) 2>&1 || $(paths.path[rpm]) -e --allmatches $(p.name[$(p.packages)]) $(output_sink)"
         contain => in_shell,
         comment => $(key);
     debian|sles::
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/20_depends_on.cf b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/20_depends_on.cf
index 4cf248d062..7429b55525 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/20_depends_on.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/20_depends_on.cf
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ bundle agent check
 {
   vars:
     "expected" string => "CAEBD";
-    "found" string => readfile("$(G.testfile)");
+    "found"
+      string => readfile("$(G.testfile)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(G.testfile)");
 
   classes:
     "ok" expression => strcmp("$(expected)", "$(found)");
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/21_with_attribute.cf b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/21_with_attribute.cf
index cf263e361f..93b20d797d 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/21_with_attribute.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/21_with_attribute.cf
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ bundle agent check
 {
   vars:
     "expected" string => "abcdef";
-    "found" string => readfile("$(G.testfile)");
+    "found"
+      string => readfile("$(G.testfile)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(G.testfile)");
 
   classes:
     "ok" expression => strcmp("$(expected)", "$(found)");
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_bodies.cf b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_bodies.cf
index 57878f45d1..e8d024750e 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_bodies.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_bodies.cf
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ bundle agent check
     "expected"
       string => '{"example_body": {"alice": "1", "bob": "3", "charlie": "4"}}';
 
-    "found" string => readfile("$(G.testfile)");
+    "found"
+      string => readfile("$(G.testfile)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(G.testfile)");
 
   classes:
     "ok" expression => strcmp("$(expected)", "$(found)");
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_single_evaluation.cf b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_single_evaluation.cf
index c935f1d766..3798b25270 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_single_evaluation.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/22_single_evaluation.cf
@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@ bundle agent check
 {
   vars:
     "expected" string => "hello";
-    "found" string => readfile("$(G.testfile)");
+    "found"
+      string => readfile("$(G.testfile)"),
+      if => fileexists("$(G.testfile)");
 
   classes:
     "ok" expression => strcmp("$(expected)", "$(found)");
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/25_top_down_evaluation_custom_promise_types.cf b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/25_top_down_evaluation_custom_promise_types.cf
index 9d3e5c608e..0ea12829a9 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/25_top_down_evaluation_custom_promise_types.cf
+++ b/tests/acceptance/30_custom_promise_types/25_top_down_evaluation_custom_promise_types.cf
@@ -17,13 +17,17 @@ bundle agent test
     "/tmp/dummyfile" smth => "hello";
 
   vars:
-    "content" string => readfile("/tmp/dummyfile");
+    "content"
+      string => readfile("/tmp/dummyfile"),
+      if => fileexists("/tmp/dummyfile");
 
   files:
     "/tmp/dummyfile" content => "ok";
 
   vars:
-    "content" string => readfile("/tmp/dummyfile");
+    "content"
+      string => readfile("/tmp/dummyfile"),
+      if => fileexists("/tmp/dummyfile");
 
   classes:
     "ok" expression => strcmp("$(content)", "ok");