diff --git a/tests/drivers/stepper/stepper_api/src/main.c b/tests/drivers/stepper/stepper_api/src/main.c
index 55ab3ee8c94..a228b25c7dc 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/stepper/stepper_api/src/main.c
+++ b/tests/drivers/stepper/stepper_api/src/main.c
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 struct stepper_fixture {
 	const struct device *dev;
+	struct k_poll_signal signal;
+	struct k_poll_event event;
 };
 
 static void *stepper_setup(void)
@@ -17,6 +19,10 @@ static void *stepper_setup(void)
 		.dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_NODELABEL(motor_1)),
 	};
 
+	k_poll_signal_init(&fixture.signal);
+	k_poll_event_init(&fixture.event, K_POLL_TYPE_SIGNAL, K_POLL_MODE_NOTIFY_ONLY,
+			  &fixture.signal);
+
 	zassert_not_null(fixture.dev);
 	return &fixture;
 }
@@ -25,6 +31,7 @@ static void stepper_before(void *f)
 {
 	struct stepper_fixture *fixture = f;
 	(void)stepper_set_actual_position(fixture->dev, 0);
+	k_poll_signal_reset(&fixture->signal);
 }
 
 ZTEST_SUITE(stepper, NULL, stepper_setup, stepper_before, NULL, NULL);
@@ -48,19 +55,14 @@ ZTEST_F(stepper, test_actual_position)
 ZTEST_F(stepper, test_target_position)
 {
 	int32_t pos = 100u;
-	struct k_poll_signal signal;
 
-	k_poll_signal_init(&signal);
-	struct k_poll_event event;
-
-	k_poll_event_init(&event, K_POLL_TYPE_SIGNAL, K_POLL_MODE_NOTIFY_ONLY, &signal);
 	(void)stepper_set_max_velocity(fixture->dev, 100u);
-	(void)stepper_set_target_position(fixture->dev, pos, &signal);
-	(void)k_poll(&event, 1, K_SECONDS(2));
+	(void)stepper_set_target_position(fixture->dev, pos, &fixture->signal);
+	(void)k_poll(&fixture->event, 1, K_SECONDS(5));
 	unsigned int signaled;
 	int result;
 
-	k_poll_signal_check(&signal, &signaled, &result);
+	k_poll_signal_check(&fixture->signal, &signaled, &result);
 	zassert_equal(signaled, 1, "Signal not set");
 	zassert_equal(result, STEPPER_SIGNAL_STEPS_COMPLETED, "Signal not set");
 	(void)stepper_get_actual_position(fixture->dev, &pos);