diff --git a/test/e2e/build_test.go b/test/e2e/build_test.go
index 9572237f86..713dad1289 100644
--- a/test/e2e/build_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/build_test.go
@@ -884,7 +884,8 @@ RUN ls /dev/test1`, ALPINE)
 		Expect(build).To(Exit(0))
 	})
 
-	It("podman system reset must clean host shared cache", func() {
+	// system reset must run serial: https://github.com/containers/podman/issues/17903
+	It("podman system reset must clean host shared cache", Serial, func() {
 		SkipIfRemote("podman-remote does not have system reset -f")
 		useCustomNetworkDir(podmanTest, tempdir)
 		podmanTest.AddImageToRWStore(ALPINE)
diff --git a/test/e2e/system_reset_test.go b/test/e2e/system_reset_test.go
index 91896b4a2e..f6524f5382 100644
--- a/test/e2e/system_reset_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/system_reset_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
 )
 
-var _ = Describe("podman system reset", func() {
+// system reset must run serial: https://github.com/containers/podman/issues/17903
+var _ = Describe("podman system reset", Serial, func() {
 	var (
 		tempdir    string
 		err        error