diff --git a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
index 87253d01f1..c5e69aaf24 100644
--- a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
+++ b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main.coffee
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ while i < testFiles.length
     testFiles[i] = '/base/' + testFiles[i] + '.js'
     i++
 
-require testFiles, ->
+# Jasmine has a global stack for creating a tree of specs. We need to load
+# spec files one by one, otherwise some end up getting nested under others.
+requireSerial testFiles, ->
 # start test run, once Require.js is done
     window.__karma__.start()
diff --git a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main_squire.coffee b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main_squire.coffee
index e2ab5fc35d..a3480f3516 100644
--- a/cms/static/coffee/spec/main_squire.coffee
+++ b/cms/static/coffee/spec/main_squire.coffee
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ i = 0
 while i < testFiles.length
     testFiles[i] = '/base/' + testFiles[i] + '.js'
     i++
-require testFiles, ->
+
+# Jasmine has a global stack for creating a tree of specs. We need to load
+# spec files one by one, otherwise some end up getting nested under others.
+requireSerial testFiles, ->
 # start test run, once Require.js is done
     window.__karma__.start()
diff --git a/cms/static/karma_cms.conf.js b/cms/static/karma_cms.conf.js
index b315e2e962..a33692da00 100644
--- a/cms/static/karma_cms.conf.js
+++ b/cms/static/karma_cms.conf.js
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ var libraryFiles = [
     {pattern: 'edx-pattern-library/js/afontgarde.js', included: false},
     {pattern: 'edx-pattern-library/js/edx-icons.js', included: false},
     {pattern: 'edx-pattern-library/js/**/*.js', included: false},
-    {pattern: 'edx-ui-toolkit/js/**/*.js', included: false}
+    {pattern: 'edx-ui-toolkit/js/**/*.js', included: false},
+
+    {pattern: 'common/js/utils/require-serial.js', included: true}
 ];
 
 // Paths to source JavaScript files
diff --git a/cms/static/karma_cms_squire.conf.js b/cms/static/karma_cms_squire.conf.js
index 7d6ec26748..bf6756dd57 100644
--- a/cms/static/karma_cms_squire.conf.js
+++ b/cms/static/karma_cms_squire.conf.js
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ var libraryFiles = [
         pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/vendor/jQuery-File-Upload/js/jquery.fileupload-validate.js',
         included: false
     },
-    {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/vendor/requirejs/text.js', included: false}
+    {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/vendor/requirejs/text.js', included: false},
+    {pattern: 'common/js/utils/require-serial.js', included: true}
 ];
 
 // Paths to source JavaScript files
diff --git a/common/static/common/js/spec/main_requirejs.js b/common/static/common/js/spec/main_requirejs.js
index eebe0a92b0..c859348826 100644
--- a/common/static/common/js/spec/main_requirejs.js
+++ b/common/static/common/js/spec/main_requirejs.js
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
         testFiles[i] = '/base/' + testFiles[i];
     }
 
-    require(testFiles, function () {
+    window.requireSerial(testFiles, function () {
         // start test run, once Require.js is done
         window.__karma__.start();
     });
diff --git a/common/static/common/js/utils/require-serial.js b/common/static/common/js/utils/require-serial.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c55b6bd628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/static/common/js/utils/require-serial.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+Helper function used to require files serially instead of concurrently.
+ */
+(function (window, require) {
+  'use strict';
+
+  var requireModules = function (paths, callback, modules) {
+      // If all the modules have been loaded, call the callback.
+      if (paths.length === 0) {
+        return callback.apply(null, modules);
+      }
+      // Otherwise load the next one.
+      require([paths.shift()], function(module) {
+        modules.push(module);
+        requireModules(paths, callback, modules);
+      });
+  };
+
+  window.requireSerial = function(paths, callback) {
+    requireModules(paths, callback, []);
+  };
+
+}).call(this, window, require || RequireJS.require);
diff --git a/common/static/karma_common_requirejs.conf.js b/common/static/karma_common_requirejs.conf.js
index 475d869d3c..7590ff4694 100644
--- a/common/static/karma_common_requirejs.conf.js
+++ b/common/static/karma_common_requirejs.conf.js
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ var libraryFiles = [
     {pattern: 'js/test/i18n.js', included: false},
     {pattern: 'coffee/src/jquery.immediateDescendents.js', included: false},
     {pattern: 'js/vendor/requirejs/text.js', included: false},
-    {pattern: 'js/vendor/sinon-1.17.0.js', included: false}
+    {pattern: 'js/vendor/sinon-1.17.0.js', included: false},
+    {pattern: 'common/js/utils/require-serial.js', included: true}
 ];
 
 // Paths to source JavaScript files
diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/main.js b/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
index 2439da0eb8..6bc5f9f481 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
@@ -770,7 +770,9 @@
         testFiles[i] = '/base/' + testFiles[i];
     }
 
-    require(testFiles, function () {
+    // Jasmine has a global stack for creating a tree of specs. We need to load
+    // spec files one by one, otherwise some end up getting nested under others.
+    window.requireSerial(testFiles, function () {
         // start test run, once Require.js is done
         window.__karma__.start();
     });
diff --git a/lms/static/karma_lms.conf.js b/lms/static/karma_lms.conf.js
index 9f8efa3caa..10634dd8da 100644
--- a/lms/static/karma_lms.conf.js
+++ b/lms/static/karma_lms.conf.js
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ var libraryFiles = [
     {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/vendor/slick.core.js', included: true},
     {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/vendor/slick.grid.js', included: true},
     {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/libs/jasmine-waituntil.js', included: true},
-    {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/libs/jasmine-extensions.js', included: true}
+    {pattern: 'xmodule_js/common_static/js/libs/jasmine-extensions.js', included: true},
+    {pattern: 'common/js/utils/require-serial.js', included: true}
 ];
 
 // Paths to source JavaScript files