diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
index 59b1bdb9..27576c46 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class Provider {
       self.provider = new this.web3.providers.HttpProvider(self.web3Endpoint);
     } else if (this.type === 'ws') {
       self.provider = new this.web3.providers.WebsocketProvider(self.web3Endpoint, {headers: {Origin: "embark"}});
+      self.provider.on('error', e => self.logger.error('Websocket Error', e));
+      self.provider.on('end', e => self.logger.error('Websocket connection ended', e));
     } else {
       return callback(__("contracts config error: unknown deployment type %s", this.type));
     }
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_process/proxy.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_process/proxy.js
index 2ff60b0c..38c7c531 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_process/proxy.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_process/proxy.js
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ const parseResponse = function (ipc, resBody) {
     commList[jsonO.id].transactionHash = jsonO.result;
     transactions[jsonO.result] = {commListId: jsonO.id};
   } else if (receipts[jsonO.id] && jsonO.result && jsonO.result.blockNumber) {
+    // TODO find out why commList[receipts[jsonO.id]] is sometimes not defined
+    if (!commList[receipts[jsonO.id]]) {
+      commList[receipts[jsonO.id]] = {};
+    }
     commList[receipts[jsonO.id]].blockNumber = jsonO.result.blockNumber;
     commList[receipts[jsonO.id]].gasUsed = jsonO.result.gasUsed;
     commList[receipts[jsonO.id]].status = jsonO.result.status;
diff --git a/lib/tests/test.js b/lib/tests/test.js
index 6646ee14..1e7cc774 100644
--- a/lib/tests/test.js
+++ b/lib/tests/test.js
@@ -327,11 +327,13 @@ class Test {
             if (newContract.options) {
               newContract.options.from = self.web3.eth.defaultAccount;
               newContract.options.data = contract.code;
+              if (!newContract.options.data.startsWith('0x')) {
+                newContract.options.data = '0x' + newContract.options.data;
+              }
               newContract.options.gas = 6000000;
             }
 
             Object.setPrototypeOf(self.contracts[contract.className], newContract);
-            Object.assign(self.contracts[contract.className], newContract);
 
             eachCb();
           }, (err) => {
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol b/test_apps/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol
index 05808ddb..608b3af9 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/app/contracts/simple_storage.sol
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ contract SimpleStorage is Ownable {
 
   function set(uint x) public {
     storedData = x;
-    for(uint i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
-      storedData += i;
-    }
     Assert.triggerEvent(true, "hi");
   }
 
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_deploy_spec.js b/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_deploy_spec.js
index cab91835..b81c8178 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_deploy_spec.js
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_deploy_spec.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ contract("SimpleStorage Deploy", function () {
   it("set storage value", async function () {
     await SimpleStorageInstance.methods.set(150).send();
     let result = await SimpleStorageInstance.methods.get().call();
-    assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 499650);
+    assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 150);
   });
 
 });
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_spec.js b/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_spec.js
index 22c3f7af..5596da69 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_spec.js
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/test/simple_storage_spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*global contract, config, it, assert, web3*/
 const SimpleStorage = require('Embark/contracts/SimpleStorage');
 let accounts;
+const Utils = require('embarkjs').Utils;
 
 config({
   contracts: {
@@ -21,10 +22,16 @@ contract("SimpleStorage", function () {
     assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 100);
   });
 
-  it("set storage value", async function () {
-    await SimpleStorage.methods.set(150).send();
-    let result = await SimpleStorage.methods.get().call();
-    assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 499650);
+  it("set storage value", function (done) {
+    // await SimpleStorage.methods.set(150).send();
+    Utils.secureSend(web3, SimpleStorage.methods.set(150), {}, false, async function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        return done(err);
+      }
+      let result = await SimpleStorage.methods.get().call();
+      assert.strictEqual(parseInt(result, 10), 150);
+      done();
+    });
   });
 
   it("should set defaultAccount", async function () {