diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit.h b/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit.h
index 936fe20f020e..f45fdef35681 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit.h
@@ -553,10 +553,9 @@ static int audit_init_filter_exe(struct audit_filter *filter, const char *path)
 static int audit_cleanup(int audit_fd, struct audit_filter *filter)
 {
 	struct audit_filter new_filter;
+	int err = 0;
 
 	if (audit_fd < 0 || !filter) {
-		int err;
-
 		/*
 		 * Simulates audit_init_with_exe_filter() when called from
 		 * FIXTURE_TEARDOWN_PARENT().
@@ -567,23 +566,19 @@ static int audit_cleanup(int audit_fd, struct audit_filter *filter)
 
 		filter = &new_filter;
 		err = audit_init_filter_exe(filter, NULL);
-		if (err) {
-			close(audit_fd);
-			return err;
-		}
+		if (err)
+			goto err_close;
 	}
 
 	/* Filters might not be in place. */
 	audit_filter_exe(audit_fd, filter, AUDIT_DEL_RULE);
 	audit_filter_drop(audit_fd, AUDIT_DEL_RULE);
 
-	/*
-	 * Because audit_cleanup() might not be called by the test auditd
-	 * process, it might not be possible to explicitly set it.  Anyway,
-	 * AUDIT_STATUS_ENABLED will implicitly be set to 0 when the auditd
-	 * process will exit.
-	 */
-	return close(audit_fd);
+	err = audit_set_status(audit_fd, AUDIT_STATUS_ENABLED, 0);
+
+err_close:
+	close(audit_fd);
+	return err;
 }
 
 static int audit_init_with_exe_filter(struct audit_filter *filter)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit_test.c
index 758cf2368281..bd9f207b36e4 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/landlock/audit_test.c
@@ -850,10 +850,8 @@ FIXTURE_SETUP(audit_exec)
 FIXTURE_TEARDOWN(audit_exec)
 {
 	set_cap(_metadata, CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL);
-	EXPECT_EQ(0, audit_filter_exe(self->audit_fd, &self->audit_filter,
-				      AUDIT_DEL_RULE));
+	EXPECT_EQ(0, audit_cleanup(self->audit_fd, &self->audit_filter));
 	clear_cap(_metadata, CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL);
-	EXPECT_EQ(0, close(self->audit_fd));
 }
 
 TEST_F(audit_exec, signal_and_open)