diff --git a/quickstep/tests/src/com/android/quickstep/AbstractTaplTestsTaskbar.java b/quickstep/tests/src/com/android/quickstep/AbstractTaplTestsTaskbar.java
index fc757b44c9..ca5fb70bea 100644
--- a/quickstep/tests/src/com/android/quickstep/AbstractTaplTestsTaskbar.java
+++ b/quickstep/tests/src/com/android/quickstep/AbstractTaplTestsTaskbar.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class AbstractTaplTestsTaskbar extends AbstractQuickStepTest {
                 "com.android.launcher3.testcomponent.BaseTestingActivity");
         mLauncherLayout = TestUtil.setLauncherDefaultLayout(mTargetContext, layoutBuilder);
         AbstractLauncherUiTest.initialize(this);
-        startAppFast(CALCULATOR_APP_PACKAGE);
+        startAppFastInFullscreen(CALCULATOR_APP_PACKAGE);
         mLauncher.enableBlockTimeout(true);
         mLauncher.showTaskbarIfHidden();
     }
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/launcher3/ui/AbstractLauncherUiTest.java b/tests/src/com/android/launcher3/ui/AbstractLauncherUiTest.java
index 99e15ba8aa..9c289d6f8c 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/launcher3/ui/AbstractLauncherUiTest.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/launcher3/ui/AbstractLauncherUiTest.java
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
  */
 package com.android.launcher3.ui;
 
+import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.ACTIVITY_TYPE_STANDARD;
+import static android.app.WindowConfiguration.WINDOWING_MODE_FULLSCREEN;
 import static android.platform.test.flag.junit.SetFlagsRule.DefaultInitValueType.DEVICE_DEFAULT;
+import static android.view.Display.DEFAULT_DISPLAY;
 
 import static androidx.test.InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation;
 
@@ -26,6 +29,7 @@ import static com.android.launcher3.util.Executors.MAIN_EXECUTOR;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
+import android.app.ActivityOptions;
 import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
 import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -571,6 +575,21 @@ public abstract class AbstractLauncherUiTest<LAUNCHER_TYPE extends Launcher> {
                 true /* newTask */);
     }
 
+    /** alternative of startAppFast where app is guaranteed to launch in fullscreen mode */
+    public static void startAppFastInFullscreen(String packageName) {
+        ActivityOptions options = ActivityOptions.makeBasic();
+        options.setLaunchWindowingMode(WINDOWING_MODE_FULLSCREEN);
+        options.setLaunchDisplayId(DEFAULT_DISPLAY);
+        options.setLaunchActivityType(ACTIVITY_TYPE_STANDARD);
+
+        startIntent(
+                getInstrumentation().getContext().getPackageManager().getLaunchIntentForPackage(
+                        packageName),
+                By.pkg(packageName).depth(0),
+                true /* newTask */,
+                options);
+    }
+
     public static void startTestActivity(String activityName, String activityLabel) {
         final String packageName = getAppPackageName();
         final Intent intent = getInstrumentation().getContext().getPackageManager().
@@ -606,7 +625,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractLauncherUiTest<LAUNCHER_TYPE extends Launcher> {
                 false /* newTask */);
     }
 
-    private static void startIntent(Intent intent, BySelector selector, boolean newTask) {
+    private static void startIntent(
+            Intent intent, BySelector selector, boolean newTask, ActivityOptions options) {
         intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);
         if (newTask) {
             intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
@@ -614,7 +634,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractLauncherUiTest<LAUNCHER_TYPE extends Launcher> {
             intent.addFlags(
                     Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_DOCUMENT);
         }
-        getInstrumentation().getTargetContext().startActivity(intent);
+
+        if (options != null) {
+            getInstrumentation().getTargetContext().startActivity(intent, options.toBundle());
+        } else {
+            getInstrumentation().getTargetContext().startActivity(intent);
+        }
         assertTrue("App didn't start: " + selector,
                 TestHelpers.wait(Until.hasObject(selector), DEFAULT_UI_TIMEOUT));
 
@@ -625,6 +650,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractLauncherUiTest<LAUNCHER_TYPE extends Launcher> {
                 DEFAULT_ACTIVITY_TIMEOUT, launcherInstrumentation);
     }
 
+    private static void startIntent(Intent intent, BySelector selector, boolean newTask) {
+        startIntent(intent, selector, newTask, null);
+    }
+
     public static ActivityInfo resolveSystemAppInfo(String category) {
         return getInstrumentation().getContext().getPackageManager().resolveActivity(
                 new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN).addCategory(category),