diff --git a/cypress/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure.spec.ts b/cypress/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure.spec.ts
index a9ace36c22..64df3f5a2c 100644
--- a/cypress/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure.spec.ts
+++ b/cypress/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure.spec.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import type { VerificationRequest } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/crypto/verification/request/VerificationRequest";
-import type { ISasEvent } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/crypto/verification/SAS";
 import type { MatrixClient } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/matrix";
 import { HomeserverInstance } from "../../plugins/utils/homeserver";
 import { UserCredentials } from "../../support/login";
-import Chainable = Cypress.Chainable;
+import { handleVerificationRequest } from "./utils";
 
 const ROOM_NAME = "Test room";
 const TEST_USER = "Alia";
@@ -39,24 +38,6 @@ const waitForVerificationRequest = (cli: MatrixClient): Promise<VerificationRequ
     });
 };
 
-const handleVerificationRequest = (request: VerificationRequest): Chainable<EmojiMapping[]> => {
-    return cy.wrap(
-        new Promise<EmojiMapping[]>((resolve) => {
-            const onShowSas = (event: ISasEvent) => {
-                verifier.off("show_sas", onShowSas);
-                event.confirm();
-                resolve(event.sas.emoji);
-            };
-
-            const verifier = request.beginKeyVerification("m.sas.v1");
-            verifier.on("show_sas", onShowSas);
-            verifier.verify();
-        }),
-        // extra timeout, as this sometimes takes a while
-        { timeout: 30_000 },
-    );
-};
-
 const checkTimelineNarrow = (button = true) => {
     cy.viewport(800, 600); // SVGA
     cy.get(".mx_LeftPanel_minimized").should("exist"); // Wait until the left panel is minimized
@@ -161,7 +142,11 @@ describe("Decryption Failure Bar", () => {
                     );
                     cy.wrap(verificationRequestPromise).then((verificationRequest: VerificationRequest) => {
                         cy.wrap(verificationRequest.accept());
-                        handleVerificationRequest(verificationRequest).then((emojis) => {
+                        cy.wrap(
+                            handleVerificationRequest(verificationRequest),
+                            // extra timeout, as this sometimes takes a while
+                            { timeout: 30_000 },
+                        ).then((emojis: EmojiMapping[]) => {
                             cy.get(".mx_VerificationShowSas_emojiSas_block").then((emojiBlocks) => {
                                 emojis.forEach((emoji: EmojiMapping, index: number) => {
                                     expect(emojiBlocks[index].textContent.toLowerCase()).to.eq(emoji[0] + emoji[1]);
diff --git a/cypress/e2e/crypto/utils.ts b/cypress/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
index 6f99a23d0f..aeb15eab11 100644
--- a/cypress/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
+++ b/cypress/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
@@ -38,21 +38,19 @@ export function waitForVerificationRequest(cli: MatrixClient): Promise<Verificat
 }
 
 /**
- * Handle an incoming verification request
+ * Automatically handle an incoming verification request
  *
  * Starts the key verification process, and, once it is accepted on the other side, confirms that the
  * emojis match.
  *
- * Returns a promise that resolves, with the emoji list, once we confirm the emojis
- *
  * @param request - incoming verification request
+ * @returns A promise that resolves, with the emoji list, once we confirm the emojis
  */
-export function handleVerificationRequest(request: VerificationRequest) {
+export function handleVerificationRequest(request: VerificationRequest): Promise<EmojiMapping[]> {
     return new Promise<EmojiMapping[]>((resolve) => {
         const onShowSas = (event: ISasEvent) => {
             verifier.off("show_sas", onShowSas);
             event.confirm();
-            verifier.done();
             resolve(event.sas.emoji);
         };