diff --git a/tests/test_commands.cpp b/tests/test_commands.cpp
index e185cdc..d6f63d3 100644
--- a/tests/test_commands.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_commands.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ TEST_CASE("outgoing auth level", "[commands][auth]") {
     client.send(admin_c, "public.reflect", "admin.hi");
     client.send(basic_c, "public.reflect", "basic.hi");
 
-    wait_for([&] { return public_hi == 2; });
+    wait_for([&] { return basic_hi == 2; });
     {
         auto lock = catch_lock();
         REQUIRE( admin_hi == 3 );
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ TEST_CASE("send failure callbacks", "[commands][queue_full]") {
     }
     {
         auto lock = catch_lock();
-        REQUIRE( i <= 4 ); // should be not too slow
+        REQUIRE( i < 20 ); // should be not too slow
         // We have two buffers here: 1000 on the receiver, and 1000 on the client, which means we
         // should be able to get 2000 out before we hit HWM.  We should only have been sent 501 so
         // far (the "HELLO" handshake + 500 "y.y" messages).
@@ -347,14 +347,14 @@ TEST_CASE("send failure callbacks", "[commands][queue_full]") {
         }
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
+    for (i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
         if (send_attempts.load() >= expected_attempts)
             break;
         std::this_thread::sleep_for(10ms);
     }
     {
         auto lock = catch_lock();
-        REQUIRE( i < 20 );
+        REQUIRE( i < 100 );
         REQUIRE( send_attempts.load() == expected_attempts );
         REQUIRE( send_failures.load() > 0 );
     }
diff --git a/tests/test_connect.cpp b/tests/test_connect.cpp
index b0c5fdf..2c670ec 100644
--- a/tests/test_connect.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_connect.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ TEST_CASE("self-connection SN optimization", "[connect][self]") {
             return AuthLevel::none;
     });
     sn.add_category("a", Access{AuthLevel::none});
-    bool invoked = false;
+    std::atomic<bool> invoked{false};
     sn.add_command("a", "b", [&](const Message& m) {
             invoked = true;
             auto lock = catch_lock();
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ TEST_CASE("self-connection SN optimization", "[connect][self]") {
 
     sn.start();
     sn.send(pubkey, "a.b", "my data");
-    reply_sleep();
+    wait_for_conn(invoked);
     {
         auto lock = catch_lock();
         REQUIRE(invoked);
diff --git a/tests/test_requests.cpp b/tests/test_requests.cpp
index 46b2dae..6f3da70 100644
--- a/tests/test_requests.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_requests.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ TEST_CASE("request timeouts", "[requests][timeout]") {
         lokimq::send_option::request_timeout{100ms}
     );
 
-    std::this_thread::sleep_for(30ms);
+    std::this_thread::sleep_for(40ms);
     REQUIRE( got_triggered );
     REQUIRE_FALSE( got_triggered2 );
     REQUIRE_FALSE( success );