diff --git a/crates/lib/src/utils.rs b/crates/lib/src/utils.rs
index aa7bee25..391c578d 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/utils.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/utils.rs
@@ -158,10 +158,10 @@ pub(crate) fn medium_visibility_warning(s: &str) {
     std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
 }
 
-/// Call an async task function, and write a message to stdout
+/// Call an async task function, and write a message to stderr
 /// with an automatic spinner to show that we're not blocked.
 /// Note that generally the called function should not output
-/// anything to stdout as this will interfere with the spinner.
+/// anything to stderr as this will interfere with the spinner.
 pub(crate) async fn async_task_with_spinner<F, T>(msg: &str, f: F) -> T
 where
     F: Future<Output = T>,
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ where
     // We need to handle the case where we aren't connected to
     // a tty, so indicatif would show nothing by default.
     if pb.is_hidden() {
-        print!("{msg}...");
-        std::io::stdout().flush().unwrap();
+        eprint!("{msg}...");
+        std::io::stderr().flush().unwrap();
     }
     let r = f.await;
     let elapsed = HumanDuration(start_time.elapsed());
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ where
         &format!("completed task in {elapsed}: {msg}"),
     );
     if pb.is_hidden() {
-        println!("done ({elapsed})");
+        eprintln!("done ({elapsed})");
     } else {
         pb.finish_with_message(format!("{msg}: done ({elapsed})"));
     }
diff --git a/tmt/tests/booted/readonly/030-test-locking-read.nu b/tmt/tests/booted/readonly/030-test-locking-read.nu
index cb8be9fa..012ff0c1 100644
--- a/tmt/tests/booted/readonly/030-test-locking-read.nu
+++ b/tmt/tests/booted/readonly/030-test-locking-read.nu
@@ -1,32 +1,51 @@
-# Verify we can spawn multiple bootc status at the same time
+# Verify we can spawn multiple bootc status at the same time and get valid JSON
 use std assert
 use tap.nu
 
 tap begin "concurrent bootc status"
 
-# Fork via systemd-run
+# Create a temporary directory for output files
+let tmpdir = mktemp -d
+print $"Using temporary directory: ($tmpdir)"
+
+# Number of concurrent invocations  
 let n = 10
-0..$n | each { |v|
-    # Clean up prior runs
-    systemctl stop $"bootc-status-($v)" | complete
-}
-# Fork off a concurrent bootc status
-0..$n | each { |v|
-    systemd-run --no-block -qr -u $"bootc-status-($v)" bootc status
+
+# Create systemd unit files for concurrent bootc status commands.
+# Writing actual unit files allows proper dependency tracking.
+let units = 0..<$n | each { |v|
+    let unit_name = $"bootc-status-test-($v).service"
+    let outpath = $"($tmpdir)/($v).json"
+    let unit_content = $"[Unit]
+Description=Test bootc status ($v)
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=/bin/sh -c 'bootc status --format=json > ($outpath)'
+"
+    $unit_content | save -f $"/run/systemd/system/($unit_name)"
+    $unit_name
 }
 
-# Await completion
-0..$n | each { |v|
-    loop {
-        let r = systemctl is-active $"bootc-status-($v)" | complete
-        if $r.exit_code == 0 {
-            break
-        }
-        # check status
-        systemctl status $"bootc-status-($v)" out> /dev/null
-        # Clean it up
-        systemctl reset-failed $"bootc-status-($v)"
-    }
+# Reload systemd to pick up the new units.
+systemctl daemon-reload
+
+# Use systemd-run to create a transient sync unit with After= and Requires=
+# dependencies on all worker units. --wait blocks until completion.
+let dep_args = $units | each { |u| [$"--property=After=($u)" $"--property=Requires=($u)"] } | flatten
+systemd-run --wait ...$dep_args -- true
+
+# Verify each output file contains valid JSON with the expected structure.
+# This is a regression test for spinner output polluting stdout.
+for v in 0..<$n {
+    let path = $"($tmpdir)/($v).json"
+    # open automatically parses JSON files, so we get a record directly
+    # If the file had spinner output mixed in, this would fail to parse
+    let st = open $path
+    assert equal $st.apiVersion org.containers.bootc/v1 $"($path) should contain valid bootc status JSON"
 }
 
+# Clean up
+rm -rf $tmpdir
+
 tap ok