diff --git a/test/old/testdir/setup.vim b/test/old/testdir/setup.vim
index 23ada4b84f..29146725a2 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/setup.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/setup.vim
@@ -36,9 +36,11 @@ if exists('s:did_load')
     set isfname+=:
   endif
   if g:testname !~ 'test_mapping\.vim$'
-    " Make "Q" switch to Ex mode.
+    " Make "Q" behave like normal Ex mode.
     " This does not work for all tests as Nvim only supports Vim Ex mode.
     nnoremap Q 1q:<Cmd>call<SID>ExStart()<CR>
+    " Make "gQ" go to Vim Ex mode.
+    noremap gQ 1q:
   endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_cmdline.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
index 0369b15b8f..b3acb81a2e 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
@@ -2606,7 +2606,7 @@ func Test_cmdwin_ex_mode_with_modifier()
   " this was accessing memory after allocated text in Ex mode
   new
   call setline(1, ['some', 'text', 'lines'])
-  silent! call feedkeys("1q:normal vq:atopleft\<C-V>\<CR>\<CR>", 'xt')
+  silent! call feedkeys("gQnormal vq:atopleft\<C-V>\<CR>\<CR>", 'xt')
   bwipe!
 endfunc
 
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_ex_mode.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_ex_mode.vim
index a3d2c85be7..60ffa949a7 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_ex_mode.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_ex_mode.vim
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func Test_Ex_substitute()
 
   call term_sendkeys(buf, ":call setline(1, repeat(['foo foo'], 4))\<CR>")
   call term_sendkeys(buf, ":set number\<CR>")
-  call term_sendkeys(buf, "1q:")
+  call term_sendkeys(buf, "gQ")
   call WaitForAssert({-> assert_match(':', term_getline(buf, 6))}, 1000)
 
   call term_sendkeys(buf, "%s/foo/bar/gc\<CR>")
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func Test_Ex_append_in_loop()
   CheckRunVimInTerminal
   let buf = RunVimInTerminal('', {'rows': 6})
 
-  call term_sendkeys(buf, "1q:")
+  call term_sendkeys(buf, "gQ")
   call term_sendkeys(buf, "for i in range(1)\<CR>")
   call term_sendkeys(buf, "append\<CR>")
   call WaitForAssert({-> assert_match(':  append', term_getline(buf, 5))}, 1000)
@@ -275,13 +275,13 @@ func Test_ex_mode_errors()
   func ExEnterFunc()
 
   endfunc
-  call feedkeys("1q:vi\r", 'xt')
+  call feedkeys("gQvi\r", 'xt')
 
   au! CmdLineEnter
   delfunc ExEnterFunc
 
   au CmdlineEnter * :
-  call feedkeys("1q:echo 1\r", 'xt')
+  call feedkeys("gQecho 1\r", 'xt')
 
   au! CmdlineEnter
 
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ func Test_ex_mode_large_indent()
   new
   set ts=500 ai
   call setline(1, "\t")
-  exe "normal 1q:i\<CR>."
+  exe "normal gQi\<CR>."
   set ts=8 noai
   bwipe!
 endfunc