diff --git a/test/smoke/src/areas/tasks.ts b/test/smoke/src/areas/tasks.ts
index 62eaaed9262..c7bb8ca2e2f 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/areas/tasks.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/areas/tasks.ts
@@ -24,16 +24,14 @@ export class Tasks {
 		return this.spectron.command('workbench.actions.view.problems');
 	}
 
-	public async firstOutputLineEndsWith(fileName: string): Promise<boolean> {
-		await this.spectron.command('workbench.action.toggleFullScreen'); // toggle full screen to prevent output view to be rendered as wrapped
-		const firstLine = await this.spectron.waitFor(this.spectron.client.getText, `${this.outputViewSelector}>:nth-child(2)`);
+	public async outputContains(string: string): Promise<boolean> {
+		const output: string = await this.spectron.waitFor(this.spectron.client.getText, this.outputViewSelector);
 
-		return firstLine.endsWith(fileName);
-	}
+		if (output.indexOf(string) !== -1) {
+			return true;
+		}
 
-	public async getOutputResult(): Promise<any> {
-		await this.spectron.command('workbench.action.toggleFullScreen'); // toggle full screen to prevent output view to be rendered as wrapped
-		return this.spectron.waitFor(this.spectron.client.getText, `${this.outputViewSelector}>:nth-child(5) span.mtk1`);
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	public selectOutputViewType(type: string): Promise<any> {
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/tests/tasks.ts b/test/smoke/src/tests/tasks.ts
index cdf58d6c124..195f4f36e28 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/tests/tasks.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/tests/tasks.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ export function testTasks() {
 		});
 
 		it('verifies that eslint task results in 1 problem', async function () {
+			const expectedOutput = '1 problem (0 errors, 1 warning)';
 			await tasks.build();
-			const res = await tasks.getOutputResult();
-			assert.equal(res, '✖ 1 problem (0 errors, 1 warning)');
+			const actualOutput = await tasks.outputContains(expectedOutput);
+			assert.ok(actualOutput, `Output does not contain the following string: '${expectedOutput}'`);
 		});
 
 		it(`is able to select 'Git' output`, async function () {
@@ -38,12 +39,12 @@ export function testTasks() {
 			assert.equal(viewType, 'Git');
 		});
 
-		it('ensures that build task produces errors in index.js', async function () {
+		it('ensures that build task produces error in index.js', async function () {
 			await tasks.build();
-			assert.ok(await tasks.firstOutputLineEndsWith('index.js'));
+			assert.ok(await tasks.outputContains('index.js'), `Output does not contain error in index.js`);
 		});
 
-		it(`verifies build errors are reflected in 'Problems View'`, async function () {
+		it(`verifies build error is reflected in 'Problems View'`, async function () {
 			await tasks.build();
 			await tasks.openProblemsView();
 			const problemName = await tasks.getProblemsViewFirstElementName();