diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_area_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_area_chart.js
index 685894bf31958..0b5d86159af3d 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_area_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_area_chart.js
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
     it('should save and load with special characters', async function () {
       const vizNamewithSpecialChars = vizName1 + '/?&=%';
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizNamewithSpecialChars);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
     });
 
     it('should save and load with non-ascii characters', async function () {
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table.js
index b540c1e949fbc..138631be05bb0 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should be able to save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
       // check that it works after a save and reload
       const SAVE_NAME = 'viz w/ percents';
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(SAVE_NAME);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(SAVE_NAME);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
 
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table_nontimeindex.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table_nontimeindex.js
index 6cc0962140329..f55c88cb3a486 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table_nontimeindex.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_data_table_nontimeindex.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should be able to save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_heatmap_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_heatmap_chart.js
index ac48f78b5dde7..9d1f436cf6982 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_heatmap_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_heatmap_chart.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_line_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_line_chart.js
index 29116b0ca56c4..02442533c1b6c 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_line_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_line_chart.js
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should be able to save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_pie_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_pie_chart.js
index b9c10aaf578bf..157d862993dec 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_pie_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_pie_chart.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
       it('should correctly save disabled agg', async () => {
         await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-        await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
         await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
         await PageObjects.visualize.waitForRenderingCount();
 
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_tag_cloud.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_tag_cloud.js
index 4ed95214550c1..4a07bb242fd79 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_tag_cloud.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_tag_cloud.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart.js
index 08bd6b819ab88..73a70107d9069 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart_nontimeindex.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart_nontimeindex.js
index a884f82376493..712963f07b877 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart_nontimeindex.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_vertical_bar_chart_nontimeindex.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
     it('should save and load', async function () {
       await PageObjects.visualize.saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName1);
-      await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualizationSavedToastGone();
+
       await PageObjects.visualize.loadSavedVisualization(vizName1);
       await PageObjects.visualize.waitForVisualization();
     });
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
index 19a7bd25db9c6..0e9a64e736999 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
@@ -409,6 +409,14 @@ export function CommonPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderCo
       });
       return response.status !== 200;
     }
+    async waitForSaveModalToClose() {
+      log.debug('Waiting for save modal to close');
+      await retry.try(async () => {
+        if (await testSubjects.exists('savedObjectSaveModal')) {
+          throw new Error('save modal still open');
+        }
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   return new CommonPage();
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/dashboard_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/dashboard_page.js
index 55143643f31f0..3ec51072bc617 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/dashboard_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/dashboard_page.js
@@ -326,20 +326,11 @@ export function DashboardPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
       await testSubjects.existOrFail('saveDashboardSuccess');
       const message =  await PageObjects.common.closeToast();
       await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
-      await this.waitForSaveModalToClose();
+      await PageObjects.common.waitForSaveModalToClose();
 
       return message;
     }
 
-    async waitForSaveModalToClose() {
-      log.debug('Waiting for dashboard save modal to close');
-      await retry.try(async () => {
-        if (await testSubjects.exists('savedObjectSaveModal')) {
-          throw new Error('dashboard save still open');
-        }
-      });
-    }
-
     async deleteDashboard(dashboardName, dashboardId) {
       await this.gotoDashboardLandingPage();
       await this.searchForDashboardWithName(dashboardName);
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
index 67494f201adae..65b792f4b094b 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
@@ -734,19 +734,23 @@ export function VisualizePageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects, updateBaseli
         await testSubjects.click('saveAsNewCheckbox');
       }
       log.debug('Click Save Visualization button');
+
       await testSubjects.click('confirmSaveSavedObjectButton');
 
-      // if we wait for this, the success toast message could be gone :-()
-      // wait for save to complete before completion
-      // await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
+      // Confirm that the Visualization has actually been saved
+      await testSubjects.existOrFail('saveVisualizationSuccess');
+      const message =  await PageObjects.common.closeToast();
+      await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
+      await PageObjects.common.waitForSaveModalToClose();
+
+      return message;
     }
 
     async saveVisualizationExpectSuccess(vizName, { saveAsNew = false } = {}) {
-      await this.saveVisualization(vizName, { saveAsNew });
-      const successToast = await testSubjects.exists('saveVisualizationSuccess', {
-        timeout: 2 * defaultFindTimeout
-      });
-      expect(successToast).to.be(true);
+      const saveMessage = await this.saveVisualization(vizName, { saveAsNew });
+      if (!saveMessage) {
+        throw new Error(`Expected saveVisualization to respond with the saveMessage from the toast, got ${saveMessage}`);
+      }
     }
 
     async saveVisualizationExpectSuccessAndBreadcrumb(vizName, { saveAsNew = false } = {}) {
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/graph/graph.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/graph/graph.ts
index f640a34b36ddf..58ee1668df701 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/graph/graph.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/graph/graph.ts
@@ -82,9 +82,11 @@ export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
       const { nodes } = await PageObjects.graph.getGraphObjects();
       const circlesText = nodes.map(({ label }) => label);
       expect(circlesText.length).to.equal(expectedNodes.length);
-      circlesText.forEach(circleText => {
-        expect(expectedNodes.includes(circleText)).to.be(true);
-      });
+      const unexpectedCircleTexts = circlesText.filter(t => !expectedNodes.includes(t));
+
+      if (unexpectedCircleTexts.length) {
+        throw new Error(`Find unexpected circle texts: ${unexpectedCircleTexts}`);
+      }
     });
 
     it('should show correct connections', async function() {