diff --git a/src/org/labkey/test/util/BaseSearchHelper.java b/src/org/labkey/test/util/BaseSearchHelper.java
index 2642c4a486..6872f42818 100644
--- a/src/org/labkey/test/util/BaseSearchHelper.java
+++ b/src/org/labkey/test/util/BaseSearchHelper.java
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ public H setMaxTries(int maxTries)
     public void initialize()
     {
         clearSearchQueue();
-        SearchAdminAPIHelper.deleteIndex(getDriver());
     }
 
     public void clearSearchQueue()
diff --git a/src/org/labkey/test/util/search/SearchAdminAPIHelper.java b/src/org/labkey/test/util/search/SearchAdminAPIHelper.java
index 3a73eface6..7b99862fc2 100644
--- a/src/org/labkey/test/util/search/SearchAdminAPIHelper.java
+++ b/src/org/labkey/test/util/search/SearchAdminAPIHelper.java
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@
 public abstract class SearchAdminAPIHelper
 {
 
+    @LogMethod(quiet = true)
+    public static void purgeForContainer(String containerPath)
+    {
+        var cmd = new SimplePostCommand("search", "cancelIndexing");
+        executeCommand(cmd, containerPath);
+    }
+
     public static void waitForIndexer()
     {
         waitForIndexer(WAIT_FOR_PAGE);
@@ -57,7 +64,7 @@ public static void waitForIndexer(int timeout)
         var cmd = new SimplePostCommand("search", "waitForIndexer");
         cmd.setTimeout(timeout);
 
-       executeWaitForIndexer(cmd);
+       executeCommand(cmd, null);
     }
 
     public static void waitForIndexerBackground()
@@ -71,9 +78,9 @@ public static void waitForIndexerBackground(int timeout)
         // Invoke a special server action that waits until all previous indexer tasks are complete, even wait for background indexing tasks to complete (e.g. deleteContainer)
         var cmd = new SimplePostCommand("search", "waitForIndexer");
         cmd.setTimeout(timeout);
-        cmd.setParameters(Map.of("priority", "background"));
+        cmd.setParameters(Map.of("priority", "idle"));
 
-        executeWaitForIndexer(cmd);
+        executeCommand(cmd, null);
     }
 
     @LogMethod(quiet = true)
@@ -106,11 +113,11 @@ public static void waitForSearchServiceBootstrap(Connection cn)
         while (!timer.isTimedOut());
     }
 
-    private static void executeWaitForIndexer(PostCommand cmd)
+    private static void executeCommand(PostCommand<?> cmd, String containerPath)
     {
         try
         {
-            var response = cmd.execute(WebTestHelper.getRemoteApiConnection(), null);
+            var response = cmd.execute(WebTestHelper.getRemoteApiConnection(), containerPath);
             assertEquals("WaitForIndexer action timed out", HttpStatus.SC_OK, response.getStatusCode());
         } catch (Exception cmdException)
         {