diff --git a/tests/test_active.py b/tests/test_active.py
index 96c45da79..4640de951 100644
--- a/tests/test_active.py
+++ b/tests/test_active.py
@@ -82,17 +82,21 @@ def test_active_queries_generated(server, sampler, logs):
     # test is designed to make sure no unexpected errors are thrown in
     # active portion (not that it generates a good embedding)
 
-    n = 6
+    n = 16
+
     config = {
         "targets": [_ for _ in range(n)],
         "samplers": {sampler: {}},
         "sampling": {"common": {"d": 1, "R": 1}},
     }
+    for _ in range(2):
+        server.reset()
+        sleep(2)
     with logs:
         server.authorize()
         server.post("/init_exp", data={"exp": config})
         n_active_queries = 0
-        for k in range(6 * n + 1):
+        for k in range(20 * n + 1):
             q = server.get("/query").json()
 
             ans = random.choice([q["left"], q["right"]])
@@ -108,18 +112,21 @@ def test_active_queries_generated(server, sampler, logs):
                 sleep(1)
                 break
 
-            c = 1  # for github actions
+            # if github_actions:
+            #  sleep(1)
+            # else: ...
             if k % n == 0:
-                sleep(1 * c)
-            if k == n + 1:
-                sleep(2 * c)
+                sleep(1)
 
-        d = server.get("/responses").json()
+    r = server.get("/responses")
+    d = r.json()
+    _ = "foobar"
 
     df = pd.DataFrame(d)
     random_queries = df["score"] == -9999
     active_queries = ~random_queries
-    assert active_queries.sum() and random_queries.sum()
+    assert active_queries.sum()
+    assert random_queries.sum()
 
     samplers = set(df.alg_ident.unique())
     assert samplers == {sampler}
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index 71689cd87..8bf708db6 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ def get(self, endpoint, status_code=200, **kwargs):
         logger.info(f"Getting {endpoint}")
         r = requests.get(self.url + endpoint, **kwargs)
         logger.info("done")
-        assert r.status_code == status_code, (r.status_code, status_code, r.text)
+        if status_code:
+            assert r.status_code == status_code, (r.status_code, status_code, r.text)
         return r
 
     def reset(self):