diff --git a/internal/servers/rtmp/server_test.go b/internal/servers/rtmp/server_test.go
index 7cf5a4e1..2ae60f5a 100644
--- a/internal/servers/rtmp/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/servers/rtmp/server_test.go
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			var strm *stream.Stream
-			streamCreated := make(chan struct{})
+			var reader *stream.Reader
+			defer func() {
+				strm.RemoveReader(reader)
+			}()
+			dataReceived := make(chan struct{})
+			n := 0
 
 			pathManager := &test.PathManager{
 				AddPublisherImpl: func(req defs.PathAddPublisherReq) (defs.Path, *stream.Stream, error) {
@@ -80,7 +85,32 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 					err := strm.Initialize()
 					require.NoError(t, err)
 
-					close(streamCreated)
+					reader = &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
+
+					reader.OnData(
+						strm.Desc.Medias[0],
+						strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
+						func(u *unit.Unit) error {
+							switch n {
+							case 0:
+								require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264(nil), u.Payload)
+
+							case 1:
+								require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
+									test.FormatH264.SPS,
+									test.FormatH264.PPS,
+									{5, 2, 3, 4},
+								}, u.Payload)
+								close(dataReceived)
+
+							default:
+								t.Errorf("should not happen")
+							}
+							n++
+							return nil
+						})
+
+					strm.AddReader(reader)
 
 					return &dummyPath{}, strm, nil
 				},
@@ -141,36 +171,7 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 				})
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			<-streamCreated
-
-			recv := make(chan struct{})
-
-			r := &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
-
-			r.OnData(
-				strm.Desc.Medias[0],
-				strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
-				func(u *unit.Unit) error {
-					require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
-						test.FormatH264.SPS,
-						test.FormatH264.PPS,
-						{5, 2, 3, 4},
-					}, u.Payload)
-					close(recv)
-					return nil
-				})
-
-			strm.AddReader(r)
-			defer strm.RemoveReader(r)
-
-			err = w.WriteH264(
-				test.FormatH264,
-				3*time.Second, 3*time.Second, [][]byte{
-					{5, 2, 3, 4},
-				})
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-
-			<-recv
+			<-dataReceived
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/servers/rtsp/server_test.go b/internal/servers/rtsp/server_test.go
index ef0e4743..71123f12 100644
--- a/internal/servers/rtsp/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/servers/rtsp/server_test.go
@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, ca := range []string{"basic", "digest", "basic+digest"} {
 		t.Run(ca, func(t *testing.T) {
 			var strm *stream.Stream
-			streamCreated := make(chan struct{})
+			var reader *stream.Reader
+			defer func() {
+				strm.RemoveReader(reader)
+			}()
+			dataReceived := make(chan struct{})
+
 			n := 0
 
 			pathManager := &test.PathManager{
@@ -91,7 +96,22 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 					err := strm.Initialize()
 					require.NoError(t, err)
 
-					close(streamCreated)
+					reader = &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
+
+					reader.OnData(
+						strm.Desc.Medias[0],
+						strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
+						func(u *unit.Unit) error {
+							require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
+								test.FormatH264.SPS,
+								test.FormatH264.PPS,
+								{5, 2, 3, 4},
+							}, u.Payload)
+							close(dataReceived)
+							return nil
+						})
+
+					strm.AddReader(reader)
 
 					return &dummyPath{}, strm, nil
 				},
@@ -131,28 +151,6 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			defer source.Close()
 
-			<-streamCreated
-
-			r := &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
-
-			recv := make(chan struct{})
-
-			r.OnData(
-				strm.Desc.Medias[0],
-				strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
-				func(u *unit.Unit) error {
-					require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
-						test.FormatH264.SPS,
-						test.FormatH264.PPS,
-						{5, 2, 3, 4},
-					}, u.Payload)
-					close(recv)
-					return nil
-				})
-
-			strm.AddReader(r)
-			defer strm.RemoveReader(r)
-
 			err = source.WritePacketRTP(media0, &rtp.Packet{
 				Header: rtp.Header{
 					Version:        2,
@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 			})
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			<-recv
+			<-dataReceived
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/servers/srt/server_test.go b/internal/servers/srt/server_test.go
index 5b669554..e2ae3c7f 100644
--- a/internal/servers/srt/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/servers/srt/server_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	defer externalCmdPool.Close()
 
 	var strm *stream.Stream
-	streamCreated := make(chan struct{})
+	var reader *stream.Reader
+	defer func() {
+		strm.RemoveReader(reader)
+	}()
+	dataReceived := make(chan struct{})
+	dataReceived2 := make(chan struct{})
+	n := 0
 
 	pathManager := &test.PathManager{
 		FindPathConfImpl: func(req defs.PathFindPathConfReq) (*conf.Path, error) {
@@ -69,7 +75,37 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 			err := strm.Initialize()
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			close(streamCreated)
+			reader = &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
+
+			reader.OnData(
+				strm.Desc.Medias[0],
+				strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
+				func(u *unit.Unit) error {
+					switch n {
+					case 0:
+						require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
+							test.FormatH264.SPS,
+							test.FormatH264.PPS,
+							{5, 1},
+						}, u.Payload)
+						close(dataReceived)
+
+					case 1:
+						require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
+							test.FormatH264.SPS,
+							test.FormatH264.PPS,
+							{5, 2},
+						}, u.Payload)
+						close(dataReceived2)
+
+					default:
+						t.Errorf("should not happen")
+					}
+					n++
+					return nil
+				})
+
+			strm.AddReader(reader)
 
 			return &dummyPath{}, strm, nil
 		},
@@ -103,7 +139,6 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 
 	publisher, err := srt.Dial("srt", address, srtConf)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer publisher.Close()
 
 	track := &mpegts.Track{
 		Codec: &tscodecs.H264{},
@@ -114,47 +149,28 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	err = w.Initialize()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	// the MPEG-TS muxer needs two PES packets in order to write the first one
+
 	err = w.WriteH264(track, 0, 0, [][]byte{
 		test.FormatH264.SPS,
 		test.FormatH264.PPS,
-		{0x05, 1}, // IDR
+		{5, 1}, // IDR
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	err = bw.Flush()
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	<-streamCreated
-
-	r := &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
-
-	recv := make(chan struct{})
-
-	r.OnData(
-		strm.Desc.Medias[0],
-		strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
-		func(u *unit.Unit) error {
-			require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
-				test.FormatH264.SPS,
-				test.FormatH264.PPS,
-				{0x05, 1}, // IDR
-			}, u.Payload)
-			close(recv)
-			return nil
-		})
-
-	strm.AddReader(r)
-	defer strm.RemoveReader(r)
-
 	err = w.WriteH264(track, 0, 0, [][]byte{
-		{5, 2},
+		{5, 2}, // IDR
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	err = bw.Flush()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	<-recv
+	<-dataReceived
+
+	// the second PES is written after writer is closed
+	publisher.Close()
+	<-dataReceived2
 }
 
 func TestServerRead(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/servers/webrtc/server_test.go b/internal/servers/webrtc/server_test.go
index 0f12949c..2b1d217a 100644
--- a/internal/servers/webrtc/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/servers/webrtc/server_test.go
@@ -197,7 +197,11 @@ func TestServerOptionsICEServer(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	var strm *stream.Stream
-	streamCreated := make(chan struct{})
+	var reader *stream.Reader
+	defer func() {
+		strm.RemoveReader(reader)
+	}()
+	dataReceived := make(chan struct{})
 
 	pathManager := &test.PathManager{
 		FindPathConfImpl: func(req defs.PathFindPathConfReq) (*conf.Path, error) {
@@ -222,7 +226,25 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 			err := strm.Initialize()
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			close(streamCreated)
+			reader = &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
+
+			reader.OnData(
+				strm.Desc.Medias[0],
+				strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
+				func(u *unit.Unit) error {
+					/* select {
+					case <-recv:
+						return nil
+					default:
+					} */
+					require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
+						{1},
+					}, u.Payload)
+					close(dataReceived)
+					return nil
+				})
+
+			strm.AddReader(reader)
 
 			return &dummyPath{}, strm, nil
 		},
@@ -289,47 +311,7 @@ func TestServerPublish(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	<-streamCreated
-
-	r := &stream.Reader{Parent: test.NilLogger}
-
-	recv := make(chan struct{})
-
-	r.OnData(
-		strm.Desc.Medias[0],
-		strm.Desc.Medias[0].Formats[0],
-		func(u *unit.Unit) error {
-			select {
-			case <-recv:
-				return nil
-			default:
-			}
-
-			require.Equal(t, unit.PayloadH264{
-				{1},
-			}, u.Payload)
-			close(recv)
-
-			return nil
-		})
-
-	strm.AddReader(r)
-	defer strm.RemoveReader(r)
-
-	err = track.WriteRTP(&rtp.Packet{
-		Header: rtp.Header{
-			Version:        2,
-			Marker:         true,
-			PayloadType:    96,
-			SequenceNumber: 124,
-			Timestamp:      45343,
-			SSRC:           563423,
-		},
-		Payload: []byte{1},
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	<-recv
+	<-dataReceived
 }
 
 func TestServerRead(t *testing.T) {