diff --git a/tests/FlickerTests/AndroidTest.xml b/tests/FlickerTests/AndroidTest.xml
index a331ec5b52bd3..d83ee3a29381a 100644
--- a/tests/FlickerTests/AndroidTest.xml
+++ b/tests/FlickerTests/AndroidTest.xml
@@ -10,12 +10,14 @@
         <!-- prevents the phone from restarting -->
         <option name="force-skip-system-props" value="true" />
         <!-- set WM tracing verbose level to all -->
-        <option name="run-command" value="adb shell cmd window tracing level all" />
+        <option name="run-command" value="cmd window tracing level all" />
         <!-- inform WM to log all transactions -->
-        <option name="run-command" value="adb shell cmd window tracing transaction" />
+        <option name="run-command" value="cmd window tracing transaction" />
+        <!-- restart launcher to activate TAPL -->
+        <option name="run-command" value="setprop ro.test_harness 1 ; am force-stop com.google.android.apps.nexuslauncher" />
     </target_preparer>
     <target_preparer class="com.android.tradefed.targetprep.DeviceCleaner">
-        <!-- keeps the screen on during tests -->
+        <!-- reboot the device to teardown any crashed tests -->
         <option name="cleanup-action" value="REBOOT" />
     </target_preparer>
     <target_preparer class="com.android.tradefed.targetprep.suite.SuiteApkInstaller">