diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9b08448
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import pytest
+import qtpy.QtCore
+from pytestqt.exceptions import TimeoutError as QtBotTimeoutError
+from qtpy.QtCore import QTimer
+
+
+class TestableQTimer(QTimer):
+    _instances: list[tuple[QTimer, str]] = []
+    _current_test_name: str = ""
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        TestableQTimer._instances.append((self, TestableQTimer._current_test_name))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def check_all_stopped(cls, qtbot):
+        def _is_done_or_deleted(t: QTimer):
+            try:
+                return not t.isActive()
+            except RuntimeError as e:
+                return "already deleted" in e.args[0]
+
+        try:
+            qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: all(_is_done_or_deleted(timer) for timer, _ in cls._instances))
+        except QtBotTimeoutError as exc:
+            active_timers = list(filter(lambda t: t[0].isActive(), cls._instances))
+            (t.stop() for t, _ in cls._instances)
+            raise TimeoutError(f"Failed to stop all timers: {active_timers}") from exc
+        cls._instances = []
+
+
+# To support 'from qtpy.QtCore import QTimer' syntax we just replace this completely for the test session
+# see: https://docs.python.org/3/library/unittest.mock.html#where-to-patch
+qtpy.QtCore.QTimer = TestableQTimer
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _capture_test_name_in_qtimer(request):
+    TestableQTimer._current_test_name = request.node.name
+    yield
+    TestableQTimer._current_test_name = ""
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def testable_qtimer_class():
+    return TestableQTimer
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/conftest.py b/tests/unit_tests/conftest.py
index cff2577a..537d486f 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/conftest.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ from unittest import mock
 
 import pytest
 from pytestqt.exceptions import TimeoutError as QtBotTimeoutError
-from qtpy.QtCore import QTimer
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_register import RPCRegister
@@ -10,22 +9,6 @@ from bec_widgets.qt_utils import error_popups
 from bec_widgets.utils import bec_dispatcher as bec_dispatcher_module
 
 
-class TestableQTimer(QTimer):
-    _instances = []
-
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        TestableQTimer._instances.append(self)
-
-    @classmethod
-    def check_all_stopped(cls, qtbot):
-        try:
-            qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: all(not timer.isActive() for timer in cls._instances))
-        except QtBotTimeoutError as exc:
-            raise TimeoutError("Failed to stop all timers") from exc
-        cls._instances = []
-
-
 @pytest.hookimpl(tryfirst=True, hookwrapper=True)
 def pytest_runtest_makereport(item, call):
     # execute all other hooks to obtain the report object
@@ -36,17 +19,16 @@ def pytest_runtest_makereport(item, call):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
-def qapplication(qtbot, request):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
-    with mock.patch("qtpy.QtCore.QTimer", new=TestableQTimer):
-        yield
+def qapplication(qtbot, request, testable_qtimer_class):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    yield
 
-        # if the test failed, we don't want to check for open widgets as
-        # it simply pollutes the output
-        if request.node.stash._storage.get("failed"):
-            print("Test failed, skipping cleanup checks")
-            return
+    # if the test failed, we don't want to check for open widgets as
+    # it simply pollutes the output
+    if request.node.stash._storage.get("failed"):
+        print("Test failed, skipping cleanup checks")
+        return
 
-        TestableQTimer.check_all_stopped(qtbot)
+    testable_qtimer_class.check_all_stopped(qtbot)
 
     qapp = QApplication.instance()
     qapp.processEvents()
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_testing_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_testing_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ec88370
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_testing_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.bec_status_box import BECServiceStatusMixin
+
+
+def test_qtimer_uses_testable_qtimer():
+    service_status = BECServiceStatusMixin(None, MagicMock())
+    assert service_status._service_update_timer.__class__.__name__ != "QTimer"
+    assert service_status._service_update_timer.__class__.__name__ == "TestableQTimer"
+    service_status.cleanup()