diff --git a/tests/safety/common.py b/tests/safety/common.py
index 70d1f392f..e1723bb29 100644
--- a/tests/safety/common.py
+++ b/tests/safety/common.py
@@ -916,20 +916,16 @@ class PandaCarSafetyTest(PandaSafetyTest):
     # each car has an addr that is used to detect relay malfunction
     # if that addr is seen on specified bus, triggers the relay malfunction
     # protection logic: both tx_hook and fwd_hook are expected to return failure
-    self.assertFalse(self.safety.get_relay_malfunction())
-    for bus in range(3):
-      for addr in self.SCANNED_ADDRS:
+    for relay_malfunction_bus, relay_malfunction_addrs in self.RELAY_MALFUNCTION_ADDRS.items():
+      for relay_malfunction_addr in relay_malfunction_addrs:
+        self.assertFalse(self.safety.get_relay_malfunction())
+        self._rx(make_msg(relay_malfunction_bus, relay_malfunction_addr, 8))
+        self.assertTrue(self.safety.get_relay_malfunction())
+        for bus in range(3):
+          for addr in self.SCANNED_ADDRS:
+            self.assertEqual(-1, self._tx(make_msg(bus, addr, 8)))
+            self.assertEqual(-1, self.safety.safety_fwd_hook(bus, addr))
         self.safety.set_relay_malfunction(False)
-        self._rx(make_msg(bus, addr, 8))
-        should_relay_malfunction = addr in self.RELAY_MALFUNCTION_ADDRS.get(bus, ())
-        self.assertEqual(should_relay_malfunction, self.safety.get_relay_malfunction(), (bus, addr))
-
-    # test relay malfunction protection logic
-    self.safety.set_relay_malfunction(True)
-    for bus in range(3):
-      for addr in self.SCANNED_ADDRS:
-        self.assertEqual(-1, self._tx(make_msg(bus, addr, 8)), (bus, addr))
-        self.assertEqual(-1, self.safety.safety_fwd_hook(bus, addr), (bus, addr))
 
   def test_prev_gas(self):
     self.assertFalse(self.safety.get_gas_pressed_prev())