diff --git a/dapps/tests/app/test/solidity_test.sol b/dapps/tests/app/test/solidity_test.sol
index c68c73eda3..cfb6a4fed8 100644
--- a/dapps/tests/app/test/solidity_test.sol
+++ b/dapps/tests/app/test/solidity_test.sol
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ contract MyTest {
   }
 
   function valueShouldBe1() public {
-    Assert.equal(1, i, "value is not correct");
+    require(1 == i, "value is not correct");
   }
 }
diff --git a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/another_storage_spec.js b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/another_storage_spec.js
index de800ae66b..09359df49c 100644
--- a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/another_storage_spec.js
+++ b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/another_storage_spec.js
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ config({
       "SimpleStorage": {
         args: [100]
       },
+      // "AnotherStorage": {
+      //   args: ["$SimpleStorage", "embark.eth"]
+      // },
       "AnotherStorage": {
-        args: ["$SimpleStorage", "embark.eth"]
+        args: ["$SimpleStorage", "$SimpleStorage"]
       }
     }
   }
@@ -30,7 +33,8 @@ contract("AnotherStorage", function() {
     assert.equal(result.toString(), SimpleStorage.options.address);
   });
 
-  it("set ENS address", async function() {
+  // FIXME add back when the ENS feature is back
+  xit("set ENS address", async function() {
     const result = await AnotherStorage.methods.ens().call();
     assert.equal(result.toString(), accounts[0]);
   });
diff --git a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/ownable_test.sol b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/ownable_test.sol
index fb6ca4f1ef..c81535d3b2 100644
--- a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/ownable_test.sol
+++ b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/ownable_test.sol
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ contract OwnableTests {
   }
 
   function shouldnotbezeroAddress() public {
-    Assert.equal(true, true, "owner is uninitialized");
+    require(true == true, "owner is uninitialized");
   }
 }
diff --git a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/simple_storage_spec.js b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/simple_storage_spec.js
index aac5a48138..ebd9dbeff3 100644
--- a/dapps/tests/contracts/test/simple_storage_spec.js
+++ b/dapps/tests/contracts/test/simple_storage_spec.js
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ contract("SimpleStorage", function () {
   });
 
   it("set storage value", async function () {
-    await SimpleStorage.methods.set(150).send();
+    const toSend = SimpleStorage.methods.set(150);
+    const gas = await toSend.estimateGas();
+    await toSend.send({gas});
     let result = await SimpleStorage.methods.get().call();
     assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 499650);
   });
diff --git a/packages/plugins/solidity-tests/src/lib/index.js b/packages/plugins/solidity-tests/src/lib/index.js
index d9687f252b..df9102140e 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/solidity-tests/src/lib/index.js
+++ b/packages/plugins/solidity-tests/src/lib/index.js
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ import "remix_tests.sol";
 // ----------------------
 `;
 const ASSERT_LIB = new File({
-  path: "remix_tests.sol",
-  originalPath: dappPath("remix_tests.sol"),
+  path: dappPath(".embark", "remix_tests.sol"),
+  originalPath: dappPath(".embark", "remix_tests.sol"),
   type: Types.dappFile,
   resolver: (cb) => { cb(remixTests.assertLibCode); }
 });
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class SolidityTestRunner {
     async.waterfall([
       (next) => {
         // write the remix_tests file where it will be found.
-        fs.writeFile(dappPath('remix_tests.sol'), remixTests.assertLibCode, next);
+        fs.writeFile(ASSERT_LIB.originalPath, remixTests.assertLibCode, next);
       },
       (next) => {
         events.request("contracts:reset", next);
diff --git a/packages/stack/test-runner/src/lib/index.js b/packages/stack/test-runner/src/lib/index.js
index e73ecf664a..d5930b0c12 100644
--- a/packages/stack/test-runner/src/lib/index.js
+++ b/packages/stack/test-runner/src/lib/index.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class TestRunner {
 
     async.waterfall([
       (next) => {
-        this.events.request("config:contractsConfig:set", Object.assign(this.configObj.contractsConfig, {explicit: true}), next);
+        this.events.request("config:contractsConfig:set", Object.assign(this.configObj.contractsConfig, {explicit: true, afterDeploy: null, beforeDeploy: null}), next);
       },
       (next) => {
         this.getFilesFromDir(testPath, next);