diff --git a/scripts/crl-revoked.test b/scripts/crl-revoked.test
index ece7aaedb14..29615c30fe5 100755
--- a/scripts/crl-revoked.test
+++ b/scripts/crl-revoked.test
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ run_test() {
                              -k ${CERT_DIR}/server-revoked-key.pem &
     server_pid=$!
 
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1
@@ -187,6 +188,7 @@ run_hashdir_test() {
                              -c ${CERT_DIR}/server-revoked-cert.pem \
                              -k ${CERT_DIR}/server-revoked-key.pem &
   server_pid=$!
+  counter=0
   while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1
diff --git a/scripts/openssl.test b/scripts/openssl.test
index 26ed1546e92..259163f3403 100755
--- a/scripts/openssl.test
+++ b/scripts/openssl.test
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ start_wolfssl_server() {
 check_server_ready() {
     # server should be ready, let's make sure
     server_ready=0
+    counter=0
     while [ "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for $server_name ready..."
         echo -e Checking | nc -4 -w 1 -z localhost "$server_port"
diff --git a/scripts/pkcallbacks.test b/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
index d73bb015081..04ac213987b 100755
--- a/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
+++ b/scripts/pkcallbacks.test
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ run_test() {
     timeout -s KILL 2m ./examples/server/server -P -R "$ready_file" -p $pk_port &
     server_pid=$!
 
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1
diff --git a/scripts/psk.test b/scripts/psk.test
index 0810e385f5a..ee6891f1384 100755
--- a/scripts/psk.test
+++ b/scripts/psk.test
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ ready_file=`pwd`/wolfssl_psk_ready$$
 echo "ready file \"$ready_file\""
 
 create_port() {
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1
diff --git a/scripts/resume.test b/scripts/resume.test
index ac7361e2325..196d216c81d 100755
--- a/scripts/resume.test
+++ b/scripts/resume.test
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ do_test() {
     timeout -s KILL 2m ./examples/server/server -r -R "$ready_file" -p $resume_port &
     server_pid=$!
 
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1
diff --git a/scripts/tls13.test b/scripts/tls13.test
index 7a29e3fe20a..3b2f68837d7 100755
--- a/scripts/tls13.test
+++ b/scripts/tls13.test
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ client_out_file="$(pwd)/wolfssl_tls13_client_out$$"
 echo "ready file \"$ready_file\""
 
 create_port() {
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" ]; do
         if [ "$counter" -gt 50 ]; then
             break
diff --git a/scripts/trusted_peer.test b/scripts/trusted_peer.test
index c3260b8f005..6b9164b547b 100755
--- a/scripts/trusted_peer.test
+++ b/scripts/trusted_peer.test
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ wrong_cert=`pwd`/certs/server-revoked-cert.pem
 echo "ready file \"$ready_file\""
 
 create_port() {
+    counter=0
     while [ ! -s "$ready_file" -a "$counter" -lt 20 ]; do
         echo -e "waiting for ready file..."
         sleep 0.1