diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index b4285a279..63933fa6e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1283,6 +1283,9 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "deltachat-time"
 version = "1.0.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "tokio",
+]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "deltachat_derive"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 42743dad0..a94a1ea64 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ strum_macros = "0.26"
 tagger = "4.3.4"
 textwrap = "0.16.1"
 thiserror = "1"
-tokio = { version = "1.37.0", features = ["fs", "rt-multi-thread", "macros"] }
+tokio = { workspace = true }
 tokio-io-timeout = "1.2.0"
 tokio-stream = { version = "0.1.15", features = ["fs"] }
 tokio-tar = { version = "0.3" } # TODO: integrate tokio into async-tar
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ harness = false
 name = "send_events"
 harness = false
 
+[workspace.dependencies]
+tokio = { version = "1.37.0", features = ["fs", "rt-multi-thread", "macros", "sync"] }
+
 [features]
 default = ["vendored"]
 internals = []
diff --git a/deltachat-time/Cargo.toml b/deltachat-time/Cargo.toml
index a2931d726..b796ec8e9 100644
--- a/deltachat-time/Cargo.toml
+++ b/deltachat-time/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ edition = "2021"
 license = "MPL-2.0"
 
 [dependencies]
+tokio = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/deltachat-time/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-time/src/lib.rs
index c8d7d6f6c..3489c78e0 100644
--- a/deltachat-time/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-time/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ impl SystemTimeTools {
     pub const UNIX_EPOCH: SystemTime = SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH;
 
     pub fn now() -> SystemTime {
-        return SystemTime::now() + *SYSTEM_TIME_SHIFT.read().unwrap();
+        SystemTime::now() + *SYSTEM_TIME_SHIFT.read().unwrap()
     }
 
     /// Simulates a system clock forward adjustment by `duration`.
-    pub fn shift(duration: Duration) {
+    pub async fn shift(duration: Duration) {
         *SYSTEM_TIME_SHIFT.write().unwrap() += duration;
     }
 }
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ impl SystemTimeTools {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    #[test]
-    fn it_works() {
-        SystemTimeTools::shift(Duration::from_secs(60));
+    #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+    async fn it_works() {
+        SystemTimeTools::shift(Duration::from_secs(60)).await;
         let t = SystemTimeTools::now();
         assert!(t > SystemTime::now());
     }
diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index edb7d8209..99be860eb 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -4831,7 +4831,7 @@ mod tests {
         // Bob receives a msg about Alice adding Claire to the group.
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_sent_add_msg).await;
 
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
         // This adds Bob because they left quite long ago.
         let alice_sent_msg = alice.send_text(alice_chat_id, "What a silence!").await;
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_sent_msg).await;
@@ -4884,7 +4884,7 @@ mod tests {
         let sent_msg = alice.send_text(alice_chat_id, "Welcome, Fiona!").await;
         bob.recv_msg(&sent_msg).await;
 
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
         let sent_msg = alice.send_text(alice_chat_id, "Welcome back, Fiona!").await;
         bob.recv_msg(&sent_msg).await;
         bob.golden_test_chat(bob_chat_id, "chat_test_msg_with_implicit_member_add")
diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 2abcfab7d..e4c664572 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -2852,7 +2852,7 @@ Hi."#;
 
             // Wait for `was_seen_recently()` to turn off.
             while bob.evtracker.try_recv().is_ok() {}
-            SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(SEEN_RECENTLY_SECONDS as u64 * 2));
+            SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(SEEN_RECENTLY_SECONDS as u64 * 2)).await;
             recently_seen_loop.interrupt(ContactId::UNDEFINED, 0).await;
             let contact = Contact::get_by_id(&bob, *contacts.first().unwrap()).await?;
             assert!(!contact.was_seen_recently());
diff --git a/src/reaction.rs b/src/reaction.rs
index e3e2ec893..517b8e31c 100644
--- a/src/reaction.rs
+++ b/src/reaction.rs
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         let bob_msg1 = bob.recv_msg(&alice_msg1).await;
 
         // Bob reacts to Alice's message, this is shown in the summaries
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         bob_msg1.chat_id.accept(&bob).await?;
         send_reaction(&bob, bob_msg1.id, "👍").await?;
         let bob_send_reaction = bob.pop_sent_msg().await;
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&alice, "BOB reacted 👍 to \"Party?\"").await;
 
         // Alice reacts to own message as well
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, alice_msg1.sender_msg_id, "🍿").await?;
         let alice_send_reaction = alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_send_reaction).await;
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&bob, "ALICE reacted 🍿 to \"Party?\"").await;
 
         // Alice sends a newer message, this overwrites reaction summaries
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         let alice_msg2 = alice.send_text(alice_chat.id, "kewl").await;
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_msg2).await;
 
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&bob, "kewl").await;
 
         // Reactions to older messages still overwrite newer messages
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, alice_msg1.sender_msg_id, "🤘").await?;
         let alice_send_reaction = alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_send_reaction).await;
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&bob, "ALICE reacted 🤘 to \"Party?\"").await;
 
         // Retracted reactions remove all summary reactions
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, alice_msg1.sender_msg_id, "").await?;
         let alice_remove_reaction = alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
         bob.recv_msg(&alice_remove_reaction).await;
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&bob, "kewl").await;
 
         // Alice adds another reaction and then deletes the message reacted to; this will also delete reaction summary
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, alice_msg1.sender_msg_id, "🧹").await?;
         assert_summary(&alice, "You reacted 🧹 to \"Party?\"").await;
 
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         assert_summary(&alice, "foo").await;
 
         // Alice reacts to that message
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, msg_id, "🐫").await?;
         assert_summary(&alice, "You reacted 🐫 to \"foo\"").await;
         let reactions = get_msg_reactions(&alice, msg_id).await?;
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
 
         // Alice reacts to forwarded message:
         // For reaction summary neither original message author nor "Forwarded" prefix is shown
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice, forwarded_msg_id, "🐳").await?;
         assert_summary(&alice, "You reacted 🐳 to \"foo\"").await;
         let reactions = get_msg_reactions(&alice, msg_id).await?;
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ Here's my footer -- bob@example.net"
         let msg_id = send_text_msg(&alice0, chat.id, "mom's birthday!".to_string()).await?;
         alice1.recv_msg(&alice0.pop_sent_msg().await).await;
 
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
         send_reaction(&alice0, msg_id, "👆").await?;
         let sync = alice0.pop_sent_msg().await;
         receive_imf(&alice1, sync.payload().as_bytes(), false).await?;
diff --git a/src/receive_imf/tests.rs b/src/receive_imf/tests.rs
index 8ea32a2a6..a8668c8dc 100644
--- a/src/receive_imf/tests.rs
+++ b/src/receive_imf/tests.rs
@@ -3664,7 +3664,7 @@ async fn test_ignore_outdated_membership_changes() -> Result<()> {
     send_text_msg(bob, bob_chat_id, "i'm bob".to_string()).await?;
     let msg = &bob.pop_sent_msg().await;
 
-    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
 
     // Alice leaves.
     remove_contact_from_chat(alice, alice_chat_id, ContactId::SELF).await?;
@@ -3675,7 +3675,7 @@ async fn test_ignore_outdated_membership_changes() -> Result<()> {
     alice.recv_msg(msg).await;
     assert!(!is_contact_in_chat(alice, alice_chat_id, ContactId::SELF).await?);
 
-    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
 
     // Bob replies again adding Alice back.
     send_text_msg(bob, bob_chat_id, "i'm bob".to_string()).await?;
@@ -3728,7 +3728,7 @@ async fn test_dont_recreate_contacts_on_add_remove() -> Result<()> {
     alice.recv_msg(&bob.pop_sent_msg().await).await;
     assert_eq!(get_chat_contacts(&alice, alice_chat_id).await?.len(), 3);
 
-    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
     send_text_msg(
         &alice,
         alice_chat_id,
@@ -3811,7 +3811,7 @@ async fn test_dont_readd_with_normal_msg() -> Result<()> {
     remove_contact_from_chat(&bob, bob_chat_id, ContactId::SELF).await?;
     assert_eq!(get_chat_contacts(&bob, bob_chat_id).await?.len(), 1);
 
-    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
     add_contact_to_chat(
         &alice,
         alice_chat_id,
diff --git a/src/securejoin.rs b/src/securejoin.rs
index 0f1a7483d..f32d4074c 100644
--- a/src/securejoin.rs
+++ b/src/securejoin.rs
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(contact_bob.is_verified(&alice.ctx).await.unwrap(), false);
 
         if case == SetupContactCase::CheckProtectionTimestamp {
-            SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600));
+            SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
         }
 
         // Step 5+6: Alice receives vc-request-with-auth, sends vc-contact-confirm
diff --git a/src/tests/verified_chats.rs b/src/tests/verified_chats.rs
index 864c02b4c..96e697bb0 100644
--- a/src/tests/verified_chats.rs
+++ b/src/tests/verified_chats.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ async fn check_verified_oneonone_chat(broken_by_classical_email: bool) {
         bob2.set_name("bob2");
         bob2.configure_addr("bob@example.net").await;
 
-        SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600));
+        SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
         tcm.send_recv(&bob2, &alice, "Using another device now")
             .await;
         let contact = alice.add_or_lookup_contact(&bob).await;
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ async fn check_verified_oneonone_chat(broken_by_classical_email: bool) {
     }
 
     tcm.section("Bob sends another message from DC");
-    SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
     tcm.send_recv(&bob, &alice, "Using DC again").await;
 
     // Bob's chat is marked as verified again
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ async fn test_create_protected_grp_multidev() -> Result<()> {
     let sent = alice.send_text(group_id, "Hey").await;
     // This time shift is necessary to reproduce the bug when the original message is sorted over
     // the "protection enabled" message so that these messages have different timestamps.
-    SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600));
+    SystemTime::shift(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
     let msg = alice1.recv_msg(&sent).await;
     let group1 = Chat::load_from_db(alice1, msg.chat_id).await?;
     assert_eq!(group1.get_type(), Chattype::Group);
diff --git a/src/webxdc.rs b/src/webxdc.rs
index fc5f36b57..293ee03a2 100644
--- a/src/webxdc.rs
+++ b/src/webxdc.rs
@@ -2669,7 +2669,7 @@ sth_for_the = "future""#
         let alice_instance = send_webxdc_instance(alice, alice_chat.id).await?;
         let bob_instance = bob.recv_msg(&alice.pop_sent_msg().await).await;
 
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(1800));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(1800)).await;
         let mut update = Message {
             chat_id: alice_chat.id,
             viewtype: Viewtype::Text,
@@ -2690,7 +2690,7 @@ sth_for_the = "future""#
             r#"[{"payload":{"foo":"bar"},"serial":1,"max_serial":1}]"#
         );
 
-        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(2700));
+        SystemTime::shift(Duration::from_secs(2700)).await;
         ephemeral::delete_expired_messages(bob, tools::time()).await?;
         let bob_instance = Message::load_from_db(bob, bob_instance.id).await?;
         assert_eq!(bob_instance.chat_id.is_trash(), false);