diff --git a/tests/test_helpers.nim b/tests/test_helpers.nim
index 88cba39c6..1bdac79c8 100644
--- a/tests/test_helpers.nim
+++ b/tests/test_helpers.nim
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ func validTest*(folder: string, name: string): bool =
     not slowTest(folder, name) and
     not allowedFailInCurrentBuild(folder, name)
 
-proc lacksSupportedForks*(filename: string): bool =
+proc lacksSupportedForks*(fixtures: JsonNode): bool =
   # XXX: Until Nimbus supports Byzantine or newer forks, as opposed
   # to Homestead, ~1k of ~2.5k GeneralStateTests won't work.
-  let fixtures = parseJSON(readFile(filename))
+
   var fixture: JsonNode
   for label, child in fixtures:
     fixture = child
@@ -131,10 +131,10 @@ proc lacksSupportedForks*(filename: string): bool =
   # not all fixtures make a distinction between forks, so default to accepting
   # them all, until we find the ones that specify forks in their "post" section
   result = false
-  if fixture.kind == JObject and fixture.has_key("transaction") and fixture.has_key("post"):
+  if fixture.kind == JObject and fixture.hasKey("transaction") and fixture.hasKey("post"):
     result = true
     for fork in supportedForks:
-      if fixture["post"].has_key(forkNames[fork]):
+      if fixture["post"].hasKey(forkNames[fork]):
         result = false
         break
 
@@ -158,15 +158,19 @@ macro jsonTest*(s: static[string], handler: untyped): untyped =
       if not status.hasKey(last):
         status[last] = initOrderedTable[string, Status]()
       status[last][name] = Status.Skip
-      if last.validTest(name) and not filename.lacksSupportedForks:
+      if last.validTest(name):
         filenames.add((filename, last, name))
     for child in filenames:
       let (filename, folder, name) = child
       # we set this here because exceptions might be raised in the handler:
       status[folder][name] = Status.Fail
+      let fixtures = parseJSON(readFile(filename))
+      if fixtures.lacksSupportedForks:
+        status[folder][name] = Status.Skip
+        continue
       test filename:
         echo folder / name
-        `handler`(parseJSON(readFile(filename)), `testStatusIMPL`)
+        `handler`(fixtures, `testStatusIMPL`)
         if `testStatusIMPL` == OK:
           status[folder][name] = Status.OK