diff --git a/tests/compat.sh b/tests/compat.sh
index 8d04d73fc..67a6f5f2b 100755
--- a/tests/compat.sh
+++ b/tests/compat.sh
@@ -785,33 +785,8 @@ start_server() {
 
 # terminate the running server (closing it cleanly if it is ours)
 stop_server() {
-    case $SERVER_NAME in
-        [Pp]olar*)
-            # start watchdog in case SERVERQUIT fails
-            ( sleep 20; echo "SERVERQUIT TIMEOUT"; kill $MAIN_PID ) &
-            WATCHDOG_PID=$!
-
-            # we must force a PSK suite when in PSK mode (otherwise client
-            # auth will fail), so try every entry in $P_CIPHERS in turn (in
-            # case the first one is not implemented in this configuration)
-            for i in $P_CIPHERS; do
-                log "$P_CLI $P_CLIENT_ARGS request_page=SERVERQUIT auth_mode=none force_ciphersuite=$i"
-                "$P_CLI" $P_CLIENT_ARGS request_page=SERVERQUIT auth_mode=none \
-                    force_ciphersuite=$i >/dev/null
-                if [ "$?" == 0 ]; then
-                    break
-                fi
-            done
-
-            wait $PROCESS_ID 2>/dev/null
-            kill $WATCHDOG_PID 2>/dev/null
-            wait $WATCHDOG_PID 2>/dev/null
-            ;;
-        *)
-            kill $PROCESS_ID 2>/dev/null
-            wait $PROCESS_ID 2>/dev/null
-    esac
-
+    kill $PROCESS_ID 2>/dev/null
+    wait $PROCESS_ID 2>/dev/null
 
     if [ "$MEMCHECK" -gt 0 ]; then
         if is_polar "$SERVER_CMD" && has_mem_err $SRV_OUT; then
diff --git a/tests/ssl-opt.sh b/tests/ssl-opt.sh
index 923ea14f8..b6924a750 100755
--- a/tests/ssl-opt.sh
+++ b/tests/ssl-opt.sh
@@ -179,23 +179,9 @@ run_test() {
     CLI_EXIT=$?
     echo "EXIT: $CLI_EXIT" >> $CLI_OUT
 
-    if is_polar "$SRV_CMD"; then
-        # start watchdog in case SERVERQUIT fails
-        ( sleep "$DOG_DELAY"; echo "SERVERQUIT TIMEOUT"; kill $MAIN_PID ) &
-        WATCHDOG_PID=$!
-
-        # psk is useful when server only has bad certs
-        $P_CLI request_page=SERVERQUIT tickets=0 auth_mode=none psk=abc123 \
-            crt_file=data_files/cli2.crt key_file=data_files/cli2.key \
-            >/dev/null 2>&1
-
-        wait $SRV_PID
-        kill $WATCHDOG_PID
-        wait $WATCHDOG_PID
-    else
-        kill $SRV_PID
-        wait $SRV_PID
-    fi
+    # kill the server
+    kill $SRV_PID
+    wait $SRV_PID
 
     # check if the client and server went at least to the handshake stage
     # (useful to avoid tests with only negative assertions and non-zero