diff --git a/test/realtime/channel.test.js b/test/realtime/channel.test.js
index ac745fb036..6968c4ad06 100644
--- a/test/realtime/channel.test.js
+++ b/test/realtime/channel.test.js
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ define(['ably', 'shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (Ably, helper, async
             async.series(
               [
                 function (cb) {
-                  channel.attach(cb);
+                  whenPromiseSettles(channel.attach(), cb);
                 },
                 function (cb) {
                   var channelUpdated = false;
diff --git a/test/realtime/crypto.test.js b/test/realtime/crypto.test.js
index 407dbc6e25..d64f4544c2 100644
--- a/test/realtime/crypto.test.js
+++ b/test/realtime/crypto.test.js
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ define(['ably', 'shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (Ably, helper, async
           });
         }
 
-        channel.attach(function (err) {
+        whenPromiseSettles(channel.attach(), function (err) {
           if (err) {
             closeAndFinish(done, realtime, err);
             return;
diff --git a/test/realtime/failure.test.js b/test/realtime/failure.test.js
index 23c05a7e3a..52979fc228 100644
--- a/test/realtime/failure.test.js
+++ b/test/realtime/failure.test.js
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ define(['ably', 'shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (Ably, helper, async
           });
         },
         function (callback) {
-          failChan.presence.subscribe('event', noop, function (err) {
+          whenPromiseSettles(failChan.presence.subscribe('event', noop), function (err) {
             try {
               expect(err, 'presence subscribe failed').to.be.ok;
               expect(err.code).to.equal(channelFailedCode, 'subscribe failure code');
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ define(['ably', 'shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (Ably, helper, async
           });
         },
         function (callback) {
-          failChan.presence.subscribe('event', noop, function (err) {
+          whenPromiseSettles(failChan.presence.subscribe('event', noop), function (err) {
             try {
               expect(err, 'presence unsubscribe failed').to.be.ok;
               expect(err.code).to.equal(channelFailedCode, 'subscribe failure code');
diff --git a/test/realtime/message.test.js b/test/realtime/message.test.js
index 11f5ff37e4..63ad7ca234 100644
--- a/test/realtime/message.test.js
+++ b/test/realtime/message.test.js
@@ -607,12 +607,11 @@ define(['ably', 'shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (Ably, helper, async
         var realtime = helper.AblyRealtime(realtimeOpts);
         var channel = realtime.channels.get('publish ' + JSON.stringify(realtimeOpts));
         /* subscribe to event */
-        channel.subscribe(
-          'event0',
-          function () {
+        whenPromiseSettles(
+          channel.subscribe('event0', function () {
             --count;
             checkFinish();
-          },
+          }),
           function () {
             var dataFn = function () {
               return 'Hello world at: ' + new Date();
diff --git a/test/realtime/shared/delta_tests.js b/test/realtime/shared/delta_tests.js
index 0de7ebde1f..a70bb9b685 100644
--- a/test/realtime/shared/delta_tests.js
+++ b/test/realtime/shared/delta_tests.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (helper, async, chai) {
               });
 
               async.timesSeries(testData.length, function (i, cb) {
-                channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i], cb);
+                whenPromiseSettles(channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i]), cb);
               });
             });
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (helper, async, chai) {
               });
 
               async.timesSeries(testData.length, function (i, cb) {
-                channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i], cb);
+                whenPromiseSettles(channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i]), cb);
               });
             });
 
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (helper, async, chai) {
               });
 
               async.timesSeries(testData.length, function (i, cb) {
-                channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i], cb);
+                whenPromiseSettles(channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i]), cb);
               });
             });
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (helper, async, chai) {
               });
 
               async.timesSeries(testData.length, function (i, cb) {
-                channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i], cb);
+                whenPromiseSettles(channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i]), cb);
               });
             });
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai'], function (helper, async, chai) {
                 closeAndFinish(done, realtime);
               });
               async.timesSeries(testData.length, function (i, cb) {
-                channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i], cb);
+                whenPromiseSettles(channel.publish(i.toString(), testData[i]), cb);
               });
             });
 
diff --git a/test/realtime/upgrade.test.js b/test/realtime/upgrade.test.js
index 3ae14f839c..b82e8ec46a 100644
--- a/test/realtime/upgrade.test.js
+++ b/test/realtime/upgrade.test.js
@@ -223,12 +223,11 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai', 'ably'], function (helper, async, chai
         var realtime = helper.AblyRealtime(transportOpts);
         var channel = realtime.channels.get('upgradepublish0');
         /* subscribe to event */
-        channel.subscribe(
-          'event0',
-          function () {
+        whenPromiseSettles(
+          channel.subscribe('event0', function () {
             --count;
             checkFinish();
-          },
+          }),
           function () {
             var dataFn = function () {
               return 'Hello world at: ' + new Date();
@@ -257,12 +256,11 @@ define(['shared_helper', 'async', 'chai', 'ably'], function (helper, async, chai
         var realtime = helper.AblyRealtime(transportOpts);
         var channel = realtime.channels.get('upgradepublish1');
         /* subscribe to event */
-        channel.subscribe(
-          'event0',
-          function () {
+        whenPromiseSettles(
+          channel.subscribe('event0', function () {
             --count;
             checkFinish();
-          },
+          }),
           function () {
             var dataFn = function () {
               return 'Hello world at: ' + new Date();