diff --git a/tests/conform/test-conform-main.c b/tests/conform/test-conform-main.c
index b2aa07077..05e5e7b4c 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-conform-main.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-conform-main.c
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
     }
 #endif
 
+  /* Turning of sync-to-vblank removes a dependency on the specifics of the
+   * test environment. It also means that the timeline-only tests are
+   * throttled to a reasonable frame rate rather than running in tight
+   * infinite loop.
+   */
+  g_setenv ("CLUTTER_VBLANK", "none", FALSE);
+
   g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
 
   g_test_bug_base ("http://bugzilla.openedhand.com/show_bug.cgi?id=%s");
diff --git a/tests/conform/test-timeline-interpolate.c b/tests/conform/test-timeline-interpolate.c
index 29fe9263f..2c6cc59ba 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-timeline-interpolate.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-timeline-interpolate.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ typedef struct _TestState
   gint expected_frame;
   gint completion_count;
   gboolean passed;
-  guint source_id;
 } TestState;
 
 
@@ -132,20 +131,6 @@ completed_cb (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
     }
 }
 
-static gboolean
-frame_tick (gpointer data)
-{
-  TestState *state = data;
-  GTimeVal cur_tick = { 0, };
-
-  g_get_current_time (&cur_tick);
-
-  if (clutter_timeline_is_playing (state->timeline))
-   clutter_timeline_do_tick (state->timeline, &cur_tick);
-
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
 void
 test_timeline_interpolate (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture, 
 			   gconstpointer data)
@@ -169,14 +154,10 @@ test_timeline_interpolate (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   state.passed = TRUE;
   state.expected_frame = 0;
 
-  state.source_id =
-    clutter_threads_add_frame_source (60, frame_tick, &state);
-
   g_get_current_time (&state.start_time);
   clutter_timeline_start (state.timeline);
   
   clutter_main();
 
-  g_source_remove (state.source_id);
   g_object_unref (state.timeline);
 }
diff --git a/tests/conform/test-timeline-rewind.c b/tests/conform/test-timeline-rewind.c
index 67668c55f..b1e0838c5 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-timeline-rewind.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-timeline-rewind.c
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ typedef struct _TestState
 {
   ClutterTimeline *timeline;
   gint rewind_count;
-  guint source_id;
 } TestState;
 
 static gboolean
@@ -67,20 +66,6 @@ new_frame_cb (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
     }
 }
 
-static gboolean
-frame_tick (gpointer data)
-{
-  TestState *state = data;
-  GTimeVal cur_tick = { 0, };
-
-  g_get_current_time (&cur_tick);
-
-  if (clutter_timeline_is_playing (state->timeline))
-   clutter_timeline_do_tick (state->timeline, &cur_tick);
-
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
 void
 test_timeline_rewind (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
 		      gconstpointer data)
@@ -100,13 +85,9 @@ test_timeline_rewind (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
                  &state);
   state.rewind_count = 0;
 
-  state.source_id =
-    clutter_threads_add_frame_source (60, frame_tick, &state);
-
   clutter_timeline_start (state.timeline);
   
   clutter_main();
 
-  g_source_remove (state.source_id);
   g_object_unref (state.timeline);
 }
diff --git a/tests/conform/test-timeline.c b/tests/conform/test-timeline.c
index 0a1038e54..bc53b6b13 100644
--- a/tests/conform/test-timeline.c
+++ b/tests/conform/test-timeline.c
@@ -181,38 +181,10 @@ delay_cb (gpointer data)
   return TRUE;
 }
 
-typedef struct _FrameCounter    FrameCounter;
-
-struct _FrameCounter
-{
-  GSList *timelines;
-};
-
-static gboolean
-frame_tick (gpointer data)
-{
-  FrameCounter *counter = data;
-  GTimeVal cur_tick = { 0, };
-  GSList *l;
-
-  g_get_current_time (&cur_tick);
-
-  for (l = counter->timelines; l != NULL; l = l->next)
-    {
-      ClutterTimeline *timeline = l->data;
-
-      if (clutter_timeline_is_playing (timeline))
-        clutter_timeline_do_tick (timeline, &cur_tick);
-    }
-
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
 void
 test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
 	       gconstpointer data)
 {
-  FrameCounter *counter;
   ClutterTimeline *timeline_1;
   TimelineData data_1;
   ClutterTimeline *timeline_2;
@@ -222,11 +194,6 @@ test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   gchar **markers;
   gsize n_markers;
   guint delay_tag;
-  guint source_id;
-
-  counter = g_new0 (FrameCounter, 1);
-
-  source_id = clutter_threads_add_frame_source (FPS, frame_tick, counter);
 
   timeline_data_init (&data_1, 1);
   timeline_1 = clutter_timeline_new (FRAME_COUNT * 1000 / FPS);
@@ -243,8 +210,6 @@ test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   g_assert (n_markers == 3);
   g_strfreev (markers);
 
-  counter->timelines = g_slist_prepend (counter->timelines, timeline_1);
-
   timeline_data_init (&data_2, 2);
   timeline_2 = clutter_timeline_clone (timeline_1);
   clutter_timeline_add_marker_at_time (timeline_2, "bar", 2 * 1000 / FPS);
@@ -254,8 +219,6 @@ test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   g_assert (strcmp (markers[0], "bar") == 0);
   g_strfreev (markers);
 
-  counter->timelines = g_slist_prepend (counter->timelines, timeline_2);
-
   timeline_data_init (&data_3, 3);
   timeline_3 = clutter_timeline_clone (timeline_1);
   clutter_timeline_set_direction (timeline_3, CLUTTER_TIMELINE_BACKWARD);
@@ -266,8 +229,6 @@ test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   clutter_timeline_add_marker_at_time (timeline_3, "end-marker",
                                        0 * 1000 / FPS);
 
-  counter->timelines = g_slist_prepend (counter->timelines, timeline_3);
-
   g_signal_connect (timeline_1,
                     "marker-reached", G_CALLBACK (timeline_marker_reached_cb),
                     &data_1);
@@ -346,9 +307,4 @@ test_timeline (TestConformSimpleFixture *fixture,
   timeline_data_destroy (&data_3);
 
   g_source_remove (delay_tag);
-
-  g_source_remove (source_id);
-
-  g_slist_free (counter->timelines);
-  g_free (counter);
 }