diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_distributed_table.out b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_distributed_table.out
index 20742aa0a..cc92505ad 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_distributed_table.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_distributed_table.out
@@ -219,8 +219,8 @@ SELECT logicalrelid::text FROM pg_dist_partition WHERE logicalrelid::regclass::t
 SELECT run_command_on_workers($$SELECT COUNT(*) FROM pg_catalog.pg_class WHERE relname LIKE 'partitioned\_table%'$$);
  run_command_on_workers
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- (localhost,57637,t,6)
- (localhost,57638,t,6)
+ (localhost,57637,t,9)
+ (localhost,57638,t,9)
 (2 rows)
 
 SELECT inhrelid::regclass::text FROM pg_catalog.pg_inherits WHERE inhparent = 'partitioned_table'::regclass ORDER BY 1;
@@ -291,8 +291,8 @@ SELECT logicalrelid::text FROM pg_dist_partition WHERE logicalrelid::regclass::t
 SELECT run_command_on_workers($$SELECT COUNT(*) FROM pg_catalog.pg_class WHERE relname LIKE 'partitioned\_table%'$$);
  run_command_on_workers
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- (localhost,57637,t,15)
- (localhost,57638,t,15)
+ (localhost,57637,t,18)
+ (localhost,57638,t,18)
 (2 rows)
 
 SELECT inhrelid::regclass::text FROM pg_catalog.pg_inherits WHERE inhparent = 'partitioned_table'::regclass ORDER BY 1;
@@ -497,45 +497,6 @@ SELECT table_name::text, shard_count, access_method FROM public.citus_tables WHE
 (1 row)
 
 \endif
--- test with metadata sync
-SET citus.shard_replication_factor TO 1;
-SELECT start_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
- start_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
-CREATE TABLE metadata_sync_table (a BIGSERIAL);
-SELECT create_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', 'a', colocate_with:='none');
- create_distributed_table
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
-SELECT alter_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', shard_count:=6);
- alter_distributed_table
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
-SELECT alter_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', shard_count:=8);
- alter_distributed_table
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
-SELECT table_name, shard_count FROM public.citus_tables WHERE table_name::text = 'metadata_sync_table';
-     table_name      | shard_count
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- metadata_sync_table |           8
-(1 row)
-
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
- stop_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
 -- test complex cascade operations
 CREATE TABLE cas_1 (a INT UNIQUE);
 CREATE TABLE cas_2 (a INT UNIQUE);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table_set_access_method.out b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table_set_access_method.out
index eb13ee5ee..209999667 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table_set_access_method.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table_set_access_method.out
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ SELECT logicalrelid::text FROM pg_dist_partition WHERE logicalrelid::regclass::t
 SELECT run_command_on_workers($$SELECT COUNT(*) FROM pg_catalog.pg_class WHERE relname LIKE 'partitioned\_table%'$$);
  run_command_on_workers
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- (localhost,57637,t,6)
- (localhost,57638,t,6)
+ (localhost,57637,t,9)
+ (localhost,57638,t,9)
 (2 rows)
 
 SELECT inhrelid::regclass::text FROM pg_catalog.pg_inherits WHERE inhparent = 'partitioned_table'::regclass ORDER BY 1;
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ SELECT logicalrelid::text FROM pg_dist_partition WHERE logicalrelid::regclass::t
 SELECT run_command_on_workers($$SELECT COUNT(*) FROM pg_catalog.pg_class WHERE relname LIKE 'partitioned\_table%'$$);
  run_command_on_workers
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- (localhost,57637,t,6)
- (localhost,57638,t,6)
+ (localhost,57637,t,9)
+ (localhost,57638,t,9)
 (2 rows)
 
 SELECT inhrelid::regclass::text FROM pg_catalog.pg_inherits WHERE inhparent = 'partitioned_table'::regclass ORDER BY 1;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/drop_column_partitioned_table.out b/src/test/regress/expected/drop_column_partitioned_table.out
index 57ef66d7c..c91fcd2bd 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/drop_column_partitioned_table.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/drop_column_partitioned_table.out
@@ -2,12 +2,6 @@ CREATE SCHEMA drop_column_partitioned_table;
 SET search_path TO drop_column_partitioned_table;
 SET citus.shard_replication_factor TO 1;
 SET citus.next_shard_id TO 2580000;
-SELECT start_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
- start_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
 -- create a partitioned table with some columns that
 -- are going to be dropped within the tests
 CREATE TABLE sensors(
@@ -397,9 +391,3 @@ WHERE
 \c - - - :master_port
 SET client_min_messages TO WARNING;
 DROP SCHEMA drop_column_partitioned_table CASCADE;
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
- stop_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/multi_partitioning.out b/src/test/regress/expected/multi_partitioning.out
index 58365f51f..5ae3d04bc 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/multi_partitioning.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/multi_partitioning.out
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ SELECT right(table_name, 7)::int as shardid, * FROM (
 				table_name, constraint_name, constraint_type
 			FROM information_schema.table_constraints
 			WHERE
-				table_name LIKE 'partitioning_hash_test%' AND
+				table_name SIMILAR TO 'partitioning_hash_test%\d{2,}' AND
 				constraint_type = 'FOREIGN KEY'
 			ORDER BY 1, 2, 3
 			) q
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/pg12.out b/src/test/regress/expected/pg12.out
index 3cedeed49..3c2298a4e 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/pg12.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/pg12.out
@@ -414,6 +414,7 @@ where val = 'asdf';
 -- not replicate reference tables from other test files
 SET citus.replicate_reference_tables_on_activate TO off;
 SELECT 1 FROM citus_add_node('localhost', :master_port, groupId => 0);
+NOTICE:  localhost:xxxxx is the coordinator and already contains metadata, skipping syncing the metadata
  ?column?
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
         1
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/pg14.out b/src/test/regress/expected/pg14.out
index 48f15d5c1..1d1e58873 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/pg14.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/pg14.out
@@ -194,10 +194,10 @@ SELECT attname || ' ' || attcompression AS column_compression FROM pg_attribute
 SELECT result AS column_compression FROM run_command_on_workers($$SELECT ARRAY(
 SELECT attname || ' ' || attcompression FROM pg_attribute WHERE attrelid::regclass::text LIKE 'pg14.col\_compression%' AND attnum > 0 ORDER BY 1
 )$$);
-   column_compression
+         column_compression
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- {"a p","a p","b ","b "}
- {"a p","a p","b ","b "}
+ {"a p","a p","a p","b ","b ","b "}
+ {"a p","a p","a p","b ","b ","b "}
 (2 rows)
 
 -- test column compression propagation in rebalance
@@ -220,10 +220,10 @@ NOTICE:  cleaned up 1 orphaned shards
 SELECT result AS column_compression FROM run_command_on_workers($$SELECT ARRAY(
 SELECT attname || ' ' || attcompression FROM pg_attribute WHERE attrelid::regclass::text LIKE 'pg14.col\_compression%' AND attnum > 0 ORDER BY 1
 )$$);
-   column_compression
+         column_compression
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- {"a p","a p","b ","b "}
- {"a p","a p","b ","b "}
+ {"a p","a p","a p","b ","b ","b "}
+ {"a p","a p","a p","b ","b ","b "}
 (2 rows)
 
 -- test propagation of ALTER TABLE .. ALTER COLUMN .. SET COMPRESSION ..
@@ -232,10 +232,10 @@ ALTER TABLE col_compression ALTER COLUMN a SET COMPRESSION default;
 SELECT result AS column_compression FROM run_command_on_workers($$SELECT ARRAY(
 SELECT attname || ' ' || attcompression FROM pg_attribute WHERE attrelid::regclass::text LIKE 'pg14.col\_compression%' AND attnum > 0 ORDER BY 1
 )$$);
-   column_compression
+         column_compression
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- {"a ","a ","b p","b p"}
- {"a ","a ","b p","b p"}
+ {"a ","a ","a ","b p","b p","b p"}
+ {"a ","a ","a ","b p","b p","b p"}
 (2 rows)
 
 -- test propagation of ALTER TABLE .. ADD COLUMN .. COMPRESSION ..
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ ALTER TABLE col_compression ADD COLUMN c TEXT COMPRESSION pglz;
 SELECT result AS column_compression FROM run_command_on_workers($$SELECT ARRAY(
 SELECT attname || ' ' || attcompression FROM pg_attribute WHERE attrelid::regclass::text LIKE 'pg14.col\_compression%' AND attnum > 0 ORDER BY 1
 )$$);
-         column_compression
+                  column_compression
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- {"a ","a ","b p","b p","c p","c p"}
- {"a ","a ","b p","b p","c p","c p"}
+ {"a ","a ","a ","b p","b p","b p","c p","c p","c p"}
+ {"a ","a ","a ","b p","b p","b p","c p","c p","c p"}
 (2 rows)
 
 -- test attaching to a partitioned table with column compression
@@ -641,17 +641,7 @@ CALL proc_pushdown(1, ARRAY[2000,1], 'AAAA');
  {2}     | 2
 (1 row)
 
--- make sure that metadata is synced, it may take few seconds
-CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION wait_until_metadata_sync(timeout INTEGER DEFAULT 15000)
-    RETURNS void
-    LANGUAGE C STRICT
-    AS 'citus';
-SELECT wait_until_metadata_sync(30000);
- wait_until_metadata_sync
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
+-- make sure that metadata is synced
 SELECT bool_and(hasmetadata) FROM pg_dist_node WHERE nodeport IN (:worker_1_port, :worker_2_port);
  bool_and
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -794,21 +784,6 @@ DEBUG:  pushing down the procedure
 NOTICE:  IN passed NUMERIC: 6.0
 DETAIL:  from localhost:xxxxx
 RESET client_min_messages;
--- we don't need metadata syncing anymore
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
-NOTICE:  dropping metadata on the node (localhost,57637)
- stop_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_2_port);
-NOTICE:  dropping metadata on the node (localhost,57638)
- stop_metadata_sync_to_node
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-(1 row)
-
 -- ALTER STATISTICS .. OWNER TO CURRENT_ROLE
 CREATE TABLE st1 (a int, b int);
 CREATE STATISTICS role_s1 ON a, b FROM st1;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/multi_schedule b/src/test/regress/multi_schedule
index 2a8cfcb7f..c44aa6b62 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/multi_schedule
+++ b/src/test/regress/multi_schedule
@@ -54,28 +54,23 @@ test: subquery_in_targetlist subquery_in_where subquery_complex_target_list
 test: subquery_prepared_statements
 test: non_colocated_leaf_subquery_joins non_colocated_subquery_joins non_colocated_join_order
 test: cte_inline recursive_view_local_table values
-test: pg13
-test: tableam
+test: pg13 pg12
+# run pg14 sequentially as it syncs metadata
+test: pg14
+test: tableam drop_column_partitioned_table
 
 # mx-less tests
 test: check_mx
 test: turn_mx_off
 test: multi_partitioning
-# run pg14 sequentially as it syncs metadata
-test: pg14
-test: pg12
-test: drop_column_partitioned_table
-test: multi_real_time_transaction
 test: undistribute_table
-test: alter_table_set_access_method
-test: alter_distributed_table
 test: turn_mx_on
 
 # ----------
 # Miscellaneous tests to check our query planning behavior
 # ----------
 test: multi_deparse_shard_query multi_distributed_transaction_id intermediate_results limit_intermediate_size rollback_to_savepoint
-test: multi_explain hyperscale_tutorial partitioned_intermediate_results distributed_intermediate_results
+test: multi_explain hyperscale_tutorial partitioned_intermediate_results distributed_intermediate_results multi_real_time_transaction
 test: multi_basic_queries cross_join multi_complex_expressions multi_subquery multi_subquery_complex_queries multi_subquery_behavioral_analytics
 test: multi_subquery_complex_reference_clause multi_subquery_window_functions multi_view multi_sql_function multi_prepare_sql
 test: sql_procedure multi_function_in_join row_types materialized_view
@@ -100,6 +95,8 @@ test: multi_task_assignment_policy multi_cross_shard
 test: multi_utility_statements
 test: multi_dropped_column_aliases foreign_key_restriction_enforcement
 test: binary_protocol
+test: alter_table_set_access_method
+test: alter_distributed_table
 test: issue_5248
 
 # ---------
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/alter_distributed_table.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/alter_distributed_table.sql
index c6698ee7a..8e4076ac5 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/alter_distributed_table.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/alter_distributed_table.sql
@@ -147,20 +147,6 @@ SELECT table_name::text, shard_count, access_method FROM public.citus_tables WHE
 \endif
 
 
--- test with metadata sync
-SET citus.shard_replication_factor TO 1;
-SELECT start_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
-
-CREATE TABLE metadata_sync_table (a BIGSERIAL);
-SELECT create_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', 'a', colocate_with:='none');
-
-SELECT alter_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', shard_count:=6);
-SELECT alter_distributed_table('metadata_sync_table', shard_count:=8);
-
-SELECT table_name, shard_count FROM public.citus_tables WHERE table_name::text = 'metadata_sync_table';
-
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
-
 -- test complex cascade operations
 CREATE TABLE cas_1 (a INT UNIQUE);
 CREATE TABLE cas_2 (a INT UNIQUE);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/drop_column_partitioned_table.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/drop_column_partitioned_table.sql
index d57ad3805..4325d3db4 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/drop_column_partitioned_table.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/drop_column_partitioned_table.sql
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ SET search_path TO drop_column_partitioned_table;
 
 SET citus.shard_replication_factor TO 1;
 SET citus.next_shard_id TO 2580000;
-SELECT start_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
 
 -- create a partitioned table with some columns that
 -- are going to be dropped within the tests
@@ -207,6 +206,3 @@ WHERE
 \c - - - :master_port
 SET client_min_messages TO WARNING;
 DROP SCHEMA drop_column_partitioned_table CASCADE;
-
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
-
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/multi_partitioning.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/multi_partitioning.sql
index c55e47a68..c2adc8463 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/multi_partitioning.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/multi_partitioning.sql
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ SELECT right(table_name, 7)::int as shardid, * FROM (
 				table_name, constraint_name, constraint_type
 			FROM information_schema.table_constraints
 			WHERE
-				table_name LIKE 'partitioning_hash_test%' AND
+				table_name SIMILAR TO 'partitioning_hash_test%\d{2,}' AND
 				constraint_type = 'FOREIGN KEY'
 			ORDER BY 1, 2, 3
 			) q
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/pg14.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/pg14.sql
index 62d2eb61d..3689ec6b6 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/pg14.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/pg14.sql
@@ -361,12 +361,7 @@ end;$$;
 CALL proc_pushdown(1, NULL, NULL);
 CALL proc_pushdown(1, ARRAY[2000,1], 'AAAA');
 
--- make sure that metadata is synced, it may take few seconds
-CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION wait_until_metadata_sync(timeout INTEGER DEFAULT 15000)
-    RETURNS void
-    LANGUAGE C STRICT
-    AS 'citus';
-SELECT wait_until_metadata_sync(30000);
+-- make sure that metadata is synced
 SELECT bool_and(hasmetadata) FROM pg_dist_node WHERE nodeport IN (:worker_1_port, :worker_2_port);
 
 SELECT create_distributed_table('test_proc_table', 'a');
@@ -394,9 +389,6 @@ CALL proc_namedargs_overload(inp=>5);
 CALL proc_namedargs_overload(inp=>6.0);
 RESET client_min_messages;
 
--- we don't need metadata syncing anymore
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_1_port);
-SELECT stop_metadata_sync_to_node('localhost', :worker_2_port);
 
 -- ALTER STATISTICS .. OWNER TO CURRENT_ROLE
 CREATE TABLE st1 (a int, b int);