diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 258081301c9..48d940a6a29 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ classifiers =
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11
+    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
     Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPython
     Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Atmospheric Science
diff --git a/tests/functional/events/09-task-event-mail.t b/tests/functional/events/09-task-event-mail.t
index 76fc11e548e..a689268ea1d 100755
--- a/tests/functional/events/09-task-event-mail.t
+++ b/tests/functional/events/09-task-event-mail.t
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 if ! command -v mail 2>'/dev/null'; then
     skip_all '"mail" command not available'
 fi
-set_test_number 6
+set_test_number 5
 mock_smtpd_init
 OPT_SET=
 if [[ "${TEST_NAME_BASE}" == *-globalcfg ]]; then
@@ -49,20 +49,16 @@ run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-validate" \
 workflow_run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-run" \
     cylc play --reference-test --debug --no-detach ${OPT_SET} "${WORKFLOW_NAME}"
 
-grep_ok 'retry: 1/t1/01' "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
-grep_ok 'succeeded: 1/t1/02' "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
-grep_ok "see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
-cat $TEST_SMTPD_LOG > /home/h02/tpilling/foo
+contains_ok "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" <<__LOG__
+retry: 1/t1/01
+succeeded: 1/t1/02
+see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/
+__LOG__
 
-grep 'Subject:' "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" -A1 > selection.log
-
-cmp_ok selection.log <<__HERE__
-Subject: [1/t1/01 retry]
- ${WORKFLOW_NAME}
---
-Subject: [1/t1/02 succeeded]
- ${WORKFLOW_NAME}
-__HERE__
+run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-grep-log" \
+    grep -qPizo "Subject: \[1/t1/01 retry\]\n ${WORKFLOW_NAME}" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
+run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-grep-log" \
+    grep -qPizo "Subject: \[1/t1/02 succeeded\]\n ${WORKFLOW_NAME}" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
 
 purge
 mock_smtpd_kill
diff --git a/tests/functional/events/18-workflow-event-mail.t b/tests/functional/events/18-workflow-event-mail.t
index 0ed3b90d7d9..eae45962db0 100755
--- a/tests/functional/events/18-workflow-event-mail.t
+++ b/tests/functional/events/18-workflow-event-mail.t
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 if ! command -v mail 2>'/dev/null'; then
     skip_all '"mail" command not available'
 fi
-set_test_number 7
+set_test_number 3
 mock_smtpd_init
 OPT_SET=
 if [[ "${TEST_NAME_BASE}" == *-globalcfg ]]; then
@@ -48,9 +48,13 @@ run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-validate" \
 workflow_run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-run" \
     cylc play --reference-test --debug --no-detach ${OPT_SET} "${WORKFLOW_NAME}"
 
-for searchterm in 'event: startup' 'message: workflow starting' 'event: shutdown' 'message: AUTOMATIC' "see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/"; do
-    grep_ok "$searchterm" "$TEST_SMTPD_LOG"
-done
+contains_ok "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" <<__LOG__
+event: startup
+message: workflow starting
+event: shutdown
+message: AUTOMATIC
+see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/
+__LOG__
 
 purge
 mock_smtpd_kill
diff --git a/tests/functional/events/29-task-event-mail-1.t b/tests/functional/events/29-task-event-mail-1.t
index d4dada66fd6..732e585e317 100755
--- a/tests/functional/events/29-task-event-mail-1.t
+++ b/tests/functional/events/29-task-event-mail-1.t
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 if ! command -v mail 2>'/dev/null'; then
     skip_all '"mail" command not available'
 fi
-set_test_number 5
+set_test_number 4
 
 mock_smtpd_init
 create_test_global_config "
@@ -37,15 +37,16 @@ run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-validate" \
 workflow_run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-run" \
     cylc play --reference-test --debug --no-detach "$WORKFLOW_NAME"
 
-grep_ok "retry: 1/t1/01" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
-grep_ok "see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
 
-grep 'Subject:' "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" -A1 > selection.log
+contains_ok "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" <<__LOG__
+retry: 1/t1/01
+see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/
+__LOG__
 
-cmp_ok selection.log <<__HERE__
-Subject: [1/t1/01 retry]
- ${WORKFLOW_NAME}
-__HERE__
+cat ${TEST_SMTPD_LOG} > ${HOME}/foo
+
+run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-grep-log" \
+    grep -qPizo "Subject: \[1/t1/01 retry\]\n ${WORKFLOW_NAME}" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
 
 purge
 mock_smtpd_kill
diff --git a/tests/functional/events/30-task-event-mail-2.t b/tests/functional/events/30-task-event-mail-2.t
index ef50f530806..10ef0119892 100755
--- a/tests/functional/events/30-task-event-mail-2.t
+++ b/tests/functional/events/30-task-event-mail-2.t
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 if ! command -v mail 2>'/dev/null'; then
     skip_all '"mail" command not available'
 fi
-set_test_number 36
+set_test_number 5
 mock_smtpd_init
 OPT_SET=
 if [[ "${TEST_NAME_BASE}" == *-globalcfg ]]; then
@@ -49,33 +49,30 @@ run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-validate" \
 workflow_run_fail "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-run" \
     cylc play --reference-test --debug --no-detach ${OPT_SET} "${WORKFLOW_NAME}"
 
-labels=(
-'retry: 1/t1/01'
-'retry: 1/t2/01'
-'retry: 1/t3/01'
-'retry: 1/t4/01'
-'retry: 1/t5/01'
-'retry: 1/t1/02'
-'retry: 1/t2/02'
-'retry: 1/t3/02'
-'retry: 1/t4/02'
-'retry: 1/t5/02'
-'failed: 1/t1/03'
-'failed: 1/t2/03'
-'failed: 1/t3/03'
-'failed: 1/t4/03'
-'failed: 1/t5/03'
-"see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/")
-
-for label in ${labels[@]}; do
-grep_ok "$label" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
-done
+contains_ok "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}" <<__LOG__
+retry: 1/t1/01
+retry: 1/t2/01
+retry: 1/t3/01
+retry: 1/t4/01
+retry: 1/t5/01
+retry: 1/t1/02
+retry: 1/t2/02
+retry: 1/t3/02
+retry: 1/t4/02
+retry: 1/t5/02
+failed: 1/t1/03
+failed: 1/t2/03
+failed: 1/t3/03
+failed: 1/t4/03
+failed: 1/t5/03
+see: http://localhost/stuff/${USER}/${WORKFLOW_NAME}/
+__LOG__
 
 run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-grep-log" \
-    grep -q "Subject: \\[. tasks retry\\]" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
+    grep -qPizo "Subject: \[. tasks retry\]\n ${WORKFLOW_NAME}" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
 run_ok "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-grep-log" \
-    grep -q "Subject: \\[. tasks failed\\]" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
+    grep -qPizo "Subject: \[. tasks failed\]\n ${WORKFLOW_NAME}" "${TEST_SMTPD_LOG}"
 
-purge
+    purge
 mock_smtpd_kill
 exit