diff --git a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_base_vseq.sv b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_base_vseq.sv
index 3d6b30fd..e6c52888 100644
--- a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_base_vseq.sv
+++ b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_base_vseq.sv
@@ -11,10 +11,38 @@ class ibex_icache_base_vseq
   `uvm_object_utils(ibex_icache_base_vseq)
   `uvm_object_new
 
+  // The two actual sequences. We don't subclass them in subclasses of this virtual sequence, but we
+  // might want to set control knobs. To allow this, we construct the sequences in pre_start.
+  // Subclasses should override pre_start, call this super to construct the sequence, and then set
+  // any control knobs they need.
+  ibex_icache_core_base_seq core_seq;
+  ibex_icache_mem_resp_seq  mem_seq;
+
   virtual task dut_init(string reset_kind = "HARD");
     super.dut_init();
   endtask
 
+  virtual task pre_start();
+    super.pre_start();
+    `uvm_create_on(core_seq, p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h)
+    `uvm_create_on(mem_seq, p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h)
+  endtask : pre_start
+
+  virtual task body();
+    // Start the core and memory sequences. We use fork/join_any so that we don't wait for the
+    // memory sequence (which is reactive so will never finish).
+    fork
+      begin
+        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(core_seq)
+        core_seq.start(p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h);
+      end
+      begin
+        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(mem_seq)
+        mem_seq.start(p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h);
+      end
+    join_any
+  endtask : body
+
   virtual task dut_shutdown();
     // check for pending ibex_icache operations and wait for them to complete
     // TODO
diff --git a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_passthru_vseq.sv b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_passthru_vseq.sv
index 11d75d03..1e29bf3f 100644
--- a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_passthru_vseq.sv
+++ b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_passthru_vseq.sv
@@ -7,33 +7,16 @@ class ibex_icache_passthru_vseq extends ibex_icache_base_vseq;
   `uvm_object_utils(ibex_icache_passthru_vseq)
   `uvm_object_new
 
-  ibex_icache_core_base_seq core_seq;
-  ibex_icache_mem_resp_seq  mem_seq;
+  virtual task pre_start();
+    super.pre_start();
 
-  task body();
-    // Start the core and memory sequences. We use fork/join_any so that we don't wait for the
-    // memory sequence (which is reactive so will never finish).
-    fork
-      begin
-        `uvm_create_on(core_seq, p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h)
+    // Constrain branch targets and leave the cache disabled.
+    core_seq.constrain_branches = 1'b1;
+    core_seq.force_disable      = 1'b1;
 
-        // Constrain branch targets and leave the cache disabled.
-        core_seq.constrain_branches = 1'b1;
-        core_seq.force_disable      = 1'b1;
+    // Increase the frequency of seed updates
+    mem_seq.gap_between_seeds = 49;
 
-        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(core_seq)
-        core_seq.start(p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h);
-      end
-      begin
-        `uvm_create_on(mem_seq, p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h)
-
-        // Increase the frequency of seed updates
-        mem_seq.gap_between_seeds = 49;
-
-        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(mem_seq)
-        mem_seq.start(p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h);
-      end
-    join_any
-  endtask : body
+  endtask : pre_start
 
 endclass : ibex_icache_passthru_vseq
diff --git a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_sanity_vseq.sv b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_sanity_vseq.sv
index 85209e07..8e8a07ef 100644
--- a/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_sanity_vseq.sv
+++ b/dv/uvm/icache/dv/env/seq_lib/ibex_icache_sanity_vseq.sv
@@ -9,26 +9,6 @@ class ibex_icache_sanity_vseq extends ibex_icache_base_vseq;
   `uvm_object_utils(ibex_icache_sanity_vseq)
   `uvm_object_new
 
-  // An un-specialized base sequence for the core agent and a basic slave sequence for the memory
-  // agent
-  ibex_icache_core_base_seq core_seq;
-  ibex_icache_mem_resp_seq  mem_seq;
-
-  task body();
-    // Start the core and memory sequences. We use fork/join_any so that we don't wait for the
-    // memory sequence (which is reactive so will never finish).
-    fork
-      begin
-        `uvm_create_on(core_seq, p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h)
-        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(core_seq)
-        core_seq.start(p_sequencer.core_sequencer_h);
-      end
-      begin
-        `uvm_create_on(mem_seq, p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h)
-        `DV_CHECK_RANDOMIZE_FATAL(mem_seq)
-        mem_seq.start(p_sequencer.mem_sequencer_h);
-      end
-    join_any
-  endtask : body
+  // No customisation of base class needed
 
 endclass : ibex_icache_sanity_vseq