diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/bootstrap.py b/ci/hardware_tests/bootstrap.py
index ead7099f3..c2fe2fa82 100755
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/bootstrap.py
+++ b/ci/hardware_tests/bootstrap.py
@@ -16,12 +16,16 @@ def main(model: str, file: str = None):
     tt = TrezorT(config["tt"]["uhub_location"], config["tt"]["port"])
 
     if model == "t1":
-        t1.update_firmware(file)
+        tt.power_off()
+        path = t1.update_firmware(file)
     elif model == "tt":
-        tt.update_firmware(file)
+        t1.power_off()
+        path = tt.update_firmware(file)
     else:
         raise ValueError("Unknown Trezor model.")
 
+    print(path)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     model = sys.argv[1]
diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/device/device.py b/ci/hardware_tests/device/device.py
index a3631ee61..eee8ac455 100644
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/device/device.py
+++ b/ci/hardware_tests/device/device.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import datetime
-import os
+import sys
 import time
+from subprocess import run
 
 
 class Device:
@@ -8,14 +9,28 @@ class Device:
         self.uhub_location = uhub_location
         self.device_port = device_port
 
-    def run_trezorctl(self, cmd: str):
+    @staticmethod
+    def log(msg):
+        print(msg, flush=True, file=sys.stderr)
+
+    def run_trezorctl(self, cmd: str, **kwargs):
         full_cmd = "trezorctl "
         full_cmd += cmd
-        print("[software/trezorctl] Running '{}'".format(full_cmd))
-        os.system(full_cmd)
+        self.log("[software/trezorctl] Running '{}'".format(full_cmd))
+        return run(full_cmd, shell=True, check=True, **kwargs)
 
-    def check_version(self):
+    def check_model(self, model=None):
+        res = self.run_trezorctl("list", capture_output=True, text=True).stdout
+        self.log(res)
         self.run_trezorctl("get-features | grep version")
+        lines = res.splitlines()
+        if len(lines) != 1:
+            raise RuntimeError("{} trezors connected".format(len(lines)))
+        if model and model not in lines[0]:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "invalid trezor model connected (expected {})".format(model)
+            )
+        return lines[0].split()[0]
 
     def reboot(self):
         self.power_off()
@@ -23,19 +38,23 @@ class Device:
 
     def power_on(self):
         self.now()
-        print("[hardware/usb] Turning power on...")
-        os.system(
-            "uhubctl -l {} -p {} -a on".format(self.uhub_location, self.device_port)
+        self.log("[hardware/usb] Turning power on...")
+        run(
+            "uhubctl -l {} -p {} -a on".format(self.uhub_location, self.device_port),
+            shell=True,
+            check=True,
         )
         self.wait(3)
 
     def power_off(self):
         self.now()
-        print("[hardware/usb] Turning power off...")
-        os.system(
+        self.log("[hardware/usb] Turning power off...")
+        run(
             "uhubctl -l {} -p {} -r 100 -a off".format(
                 self.uhub_location, self.device_port
-            )
+            ),
+            shell=True,
+            check=True,
         )
         self.wait(3)
 
@@ -45,9 +64,9 @@ class Device:
     @staticmethod
     def wait(seconds):
         Device.now()
-        print("[software] Waiting for {} seconds...".format(seconds))
+        Device.log("[software] Waiting for {} seconds...".format(seconds))
         time.sleep(seconds)
 
     @staticmethod
     def now():
-        print("\n[timestamp] {}".format(datetime.datetime.now()))
+        Device.log("\n[timestamp] {}".format(datetime.datetime.now()))
diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/device/t1.py b/ci/hardware_tests/device/t1.py
index 7ef145b35..8587b79c7 100644
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/device/t1.py
+++ b/ci/hardware_tests/device/t1.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class TrezorOne(Device):
 
     def touch(self, location, action):
         self.now()
-        print(
+        self.log(
             "[hardware/trezor] Touching the {} button by {}...".format(location, action)
         )
         self.serial.write(("{} {}\n".format(location, action)).encode())
@@ -19,14 +19,16 @@ class TrezorOne(Device):
         if file:
             unofficial = True
             trezorctlcmd = "firmware-update -s -f {} &".format(file)
-            print("[software] Updating the firmware to {}".format(file))
+            self.log("[software] Updating the firmware to {}".format(file))
         else:
             unofficial = False
             trezorctlcmd = "firmware-update &"
-            print("[software] Updating the firmware to latest")
+            self.log("[software] Updating the firmware to latest")
         self.wait(3)
         self._enter_bootloader()
 
+        self.run_trezorctl("list")
+
         self.wait(3)
         self.run_trezorctl(trezorctlcmd)
         self.wait(3)
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ class TrezorOne(Device):
             self.wait(5)
             self.touch("right", "click")
         self.wait(5)
-        self.check_version()
+        return self.check_model("Trezor 1")
 
     def _enter_bootloader(self):
         self.power_off()
diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/device/tt.py b/ci/hardware_tests/device/tt.py
index 8f439ab92..c7660c0bd 100644
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/device/tt.py
+++ b/ci/hardware_tests/device/tt.py
@@ -7,15 +7,17 @@ class TrezorT(Device):
         self.power_off()
         self.power_on()
 
+        self.run_trezorctl("list")
+
         if not file:
             raise ValueError(
                 "Uploading production firmware will replace the bootloader, it is not allowed!"
             )
 
         self.wait(5)
-        print("[software] Updating the firmware to {}".format(file))
+        self.log("[software] Updating the firmware to {}".format(file))
         self.run_trezorctl("firmware-update -s -f {}".format(file))
 
         # after firmware-update finishes wait for reboot
         self.wait(15)
-        self.check_version()
+        return self.check_model("Trezor T")
diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/get_trezor_path.sh b/ci/hardware_tests/get_trezor_path.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index a47492929..000000000
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/get_trezor_path.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-if [ $# -ne 1 ]
-  then
-    echo "Usage: $0 [model]"
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-nix-shell --run "pipenv run trezorctl list | grep '$1' | cut -d' ' -f1 | tr -d '\n'"
diff --git a/ci/hardware_tests/t1_hw_test.sh b/ci/hardware_tests/t1_hw_test.sh
index 621c88ffa..f89212b0e 100755
--- a/ci/hardware_tests/t1_hw_test.sh
+++ b/ci/hardware_tests/t1_hw_test.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@ set -x # trace commands
 
 ./record_video.sh ${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA} start
 (cd ../.. && poetry install)
-poetry run trezorctl -v list
-export TREZOR_PATH=$(./get_trezor_path.sh 'Trezor 1')
-echo $TREZOR_PATH
 poetry run python bootstrap.py t1
 poetry run python bootstrap.py t1 ../../trezor-*.bin
 poetry run pytest ../../tests/device_tests
diff --git a/ci/test.yml b/ci/test.yml
index ea9f70bb1..ea89998ce 100644
--- a/ci/test.yml
+++ b/ci/test.yml
@@ -325,9 +325,6 @@ hardware core btconly device test:
   script:
     - cd ci/hardware_tests
     - nix-shell --run "cd ../.. && poetry install"
-    - nix-shell --run "poetry run trezorctl list"
-    - export TREZOR_PATH=$(./get_trezor_path.sh 'Trezor T')
-    - nix-shell --run "echo $TREZOR_PATH"
     - nix-shell --run "poetry run python bootstrap.py tt ../../trezor-*.bin"
     - nix-shell --run "poetry run pytest ../../tests/device_tests -m 'not sd_card' -k 'not 15_of_15 and not test_multisig_mismatch_inputs'"
   timeout: 4h