diff --git a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/common.clj b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/common.clj
index 3ce9c5a..36fdd61 100644
--- a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/common.clj
+++ b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/common.clj
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@
   []
   (Thread/sleep 500))
 
-(defn wait-for-heartbeat-interval
+(defn wait-for-scheduled-interval
   [secs]
+  ; add 1 extra second just to be 100% safe
+  ; (intervals specified to scheduled job/task timers are never _exact_)
   (Thread/sleep (+ 1000 (* 1000 secs))))
+
+(defn session-id-string?
+  [s]
+  (and (string? s)
+       (not (string/blank? s))))
diff --git a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/bind_channel_http_request_tests.clj b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/bind_channel_http_request_tests.clj
index bbcd218..7ab8778 100644
--- a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/bind_channel_http_request_tests.clj
+++ b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/bind_channel_http_request_tests.clj
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@
     (let [arrays (get-response-arrays (:body resp))
           [[id [c session-id host-prefix version]]] (first arrays)]
       (is (= "c" c))
-      (is (and (string? session-id)
-               (not (string/blank? session-id))))
+      (is (session-id-string? session-id))
       (is (nil? host-prefix))
       (is (= protocol-version version))
       (is (get @sessions session-id))
@@ -107,8 +106,7 @@
   (let [arrays (get-response-arrays (:body new-session-response))
         [[_ [c session-id _ _]]] (first arrays)]
     (is (= "c" c))
-    (is (and (string? session-id)
-             (not (string/blank? session-id))))
+    (is (session-id-string? session-id))
     session-id))
 
 (deftest backchannel-request-test
@@ -195,7 +193,7 @@
         create-resp (app (->new-session-request) options)
         session-id  (get-session-id create-resp)
         back-resp   (app (->new-backchannel-request session-id))]
-    (wait-for-heartbeat-interval (:keep-alive-interval options))
+    (wait-for-scheduled-interval (:keep-alive-interval options))
     (let [async-resp @async-output
           arrays     (get-response-arrays (:body async-resp))]
       (is (= 200 (:status back-resp)))
diff --git a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/test_channel_http_request_tests.clj b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/test_channel_http_request_tests.clj
index e4d3aab..d7f5d0d 100644
--- a/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/test_channel_http_request_tests.clj
+++ b/clj-browserchannel/test/net/thegeez/browserchannel/server/test_channel_http_request_tests.clj
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@
     ; browserchannel's buffering proxy test is supposed to work by initially sending
     ; "11111", then waits for 2 seconds (without closing the response), then sends
     ; "2" and finally closes the response.
-    ; wait for 3 secs just to be safe
-    (println "*** WAITING 3 SECONDS FOR BUFFERING PROXY TEST RESPONSE TO FINISH ***")
-    (Thread/sleep 3000)
+    (wait-for-scheduled-interval 2)
     (let [async-resp @async-output]
       (is (:closed? async-resp))
       (is (= "111112" (:body async-resp))))))