diff --git a/lib/tests/test.js b/lib/tests/test.js
index 4e2b8e2f7..3ac0b2d47 100644
--- a/lib/tests/test.js
+++ b/lib/tests/test.js
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ class Test {
       },
       function createContractObject(next) {
         async.each(Object.keys(self.contracts), (contractName, eachCb) => {
+          if (!self.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractName]) {
+            throw new Error(__('No contract with the name %s', contractName));
+          }
           const contract = self.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractName];
           Object.assign(self.contracts[contractName], new self.web3.eth.Contract(contract.abiDefinition, contract.address,
             {from: self.web3.eth.defaultAccount, gas: 6000000}));
@@ -150,13 +153,29 @@ class Test {
   require(module) {
     if (module.startsWith('Embark/contracts/')) {
       const contractName = module.substr(17);
-      if (!this.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractName]) {
-        throw new Error(__('No contract with the name %s', contractName));
-      }
       if (this.contracts[contractName]) {
         return this.contracts[contractName];
       }
-      const contract = this.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractName];
+      let contract = this.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractName];
+      if (!contract) {
+        const contractNames = Object.keys(this.engine.contractsManager.contracts);
+        // It is probably an instanceof
+        contractNames.find(contrName => {
+          // Find a contract with a similar name
+          if (contractName.indexOf(contrName) > -1) {
+            contract = this.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contrName];
+            return true;
+          }
+          return false;
+        });
+        // If still nothing, assign bogus one, we will redefine it anyway on deploy
+        if (!contract) {
+          console.warn(__('Could not recognize the contract name "%s"'));
+          console.warn(__('If it is an instance of another contract, it will be reassigned on deploy'));
+          console.warn(__('Otherwise, you can rename the contract to contain the parent contract in the name eg: Token2 for Token'));
+          contract = this.engine.contractsManager.contracts[contractNames[0]];
+        }
+      }
       this.contracts[contractName] = new this.web3.eth.Contract(contract.abiDefinition, contract.address,
         {from: this.web3.eth.defaultAccount, gas: 6000000});
       return this.contracts[contractName];
diff --git a/test_apps/contracts_app/test/array_references_spec.js b/test_apps/contracts_app/test/array_references_spec.js
index 99cf37da9..719b5146b 100644
--- a/test_apps/contracts_app/test/array_references_spec.js
+++ b/test_apps/contracts_app/test/array_references_spec.js
@@ -1,28 +1,33 @@
+/*global contract, config, it, embark*/
+const assert = require('assert');
+const SomeContract = embark.require('Embark/contracts/SomeContract');
+const SimpleStorage = embark.require('Embark/contracts/SimpleStorage');
+const MyToken2 = embark.require('Embark/contracts/MyToken2');
+
+config({
+  contracts: {
+    "SimpleStorage": {
+      args: [100]
+    },
+    "Token": {
+      deploy: false,
+      args: [1000]
+    },
+    "MyToken2": {
+      instanceOf: "Token",
+      args: [2000]
+    },
+    "SomeContract": {
+      "args": [
+        ["$MyToken2", "$SimpleStorage"],
+        100
+      ]
+    }
+  }
+});
+
 contract("SomeContract", function() {
   this.timeout(0);
-  before(function(done) {
-    this.timeout(0);
-    var contractsConfig = {
-      "SimpleStorage": {
-        args: [100]
-      },
-      "Token": {
-        deploy: false,
-        args: [1000]
-      },
-      "MyToken2": {
-        instanceOf: "Token",
-        args: [2000]
-      },
-      "SomeContract": {
-        "args": [
-          ["$MyToken2", "$SimpleStorage"],
-          100
-        ]
-      }
-    };
-    EmbarkSpec.deployAll(contractsConfig, () => { done() });
-  });
 
   it("set MyToken2 address", async function() {
     let address = await SomeContract.methods.addr_1().call();