diff --git a/tests/pytests/scenarios/swarm/conftest.py b/tests/pytests/scenarios/swarm/conftest.py
index 95a4fe58a35..8147eb8049d 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/scenarios/swarm/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/scenarios/swarm/conftest.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def salt_cli(salt_master):
 @pytest.fixture(scope="package")
 def minion_count():
     # Allow this to be changed via an environment variable if needed
-    return int(os.environ.get("SALT_CI_MINION_SWARM_COUNT", 20))
+    return int(os.environ.get("SALT_CI_MINION_SWARM_COUNT", 15))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="package")
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def minion_swarm(salt_master, minion_count):
     with ExitStack() as stack:
         for idx in range(minion_count):
             minion_factory = salt_master.salt_minion_daemon(
-                random_string("swarm-minion-{}-".format(idx)),
+                random_string(f"swarm-minion-{idx}-"),
                 extra_cli_arguments_after_first_start_failure=["--log-level=info"],
             )
             stack.enter_context(minion_factory.started())