diff --git a/src/env_vars.py b/src/env_vars.py
index 5f8c290c..ad4100fb 100644
--- a/src/env_vars.py
+++ b/src/env_vars.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ def get_env_var(var_name, default=None):
 
 
 # Configuration constants. Need to be upercase to appear in reports
-NUM_MESSAGES = get_env_var("NUM_MESSAGES", 50)
-PRIVATE_GROUPS = get_env_var("NUM_MESSAGES", 50)
-NUM_CONTACT_REQUESTS = get_env_var("NUM_CONTACT_REQUESTS", 10)
+NUM_MESSAGES = get_env_var("NUM_MESSAGES", 25)
+PRIVATE_GROUPS = get_env_var("NUM_MESSAGES", 25)
+NUM_CONTACT_REQUESTS = get_env_var("NUM_CONTACT_REQUESTS", 5)
 DELAY_BETWEEN_MESSAGES = get_env_var("DELAY_BETWEEN_MESSAGES", 1)
 RUNNING_IN_CI = get_env_var("CI")
 API_REQUEST_TIMEOUT = get_env_var("API_REQUEST_TIMEOUT", 10)
diff --git a/src/node/rpc_client.py b/src/node/rpc_client.py
index aba5d8c0..83bea69a 100644
--- a/src/node/rpc_client.py
+++ b/src/node/rpc_client.py
@@ -19,7 +19,19 @@ class StatusNodeRPC:
             params = []
         payload = {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": method, "params": params, "id": 1}
         logger.debug(f"Node: {self.node_name} sends request at address: {self.base_url} with payload: {json.dumps(payload)}")
-        response = requests.post(self.base_url, headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"}, data=json.dumps(payload), timeout=timeout)
-        logger.debug(f"Received response: {response.text}")
-        assert "result" in response.json()
-        return response.json()
+
+        try:
+            response = requests.post(self.base_url, headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"}, data=json.dumps(payload), timeout=timeout)
+            logger.debug(f"Received response: {response.text}")
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            assert "result" in response.json(), "Response does not contain 'result' key."
+            return response.json()
+
+        except requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout:
+            error_message = f"Request to {self.base_url} usig method {method} timed out after {timeout} seconds. Node: {self.node_name}"
+            logger.error(error_message)
+            raise RuntimeError(error_message)
+
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            logger.error(f"An error occurred: {str(e)}")
+            raise
diff --git a/tests/test_community_messages.py b/tests/test_community_messages.py
index ab97f670..c22c6c85 100644
--- a/tests/test_community_messages.py
+++ b/tests/test_community_messages.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from src.steps.common import StepsCommon
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("start_1_node")
 class TestCommunityMessages(StepsCommon):
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_community_messages_baseline(self):
         try:
             self.community_nodes
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ class TestCommunityMessages(StepsCommon):
         with self.add_low_bandwith():
             self.test_community_messages_baseline()
 
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_community_messages_with_node_pause_10_seconds(self):
         self.setup_community_nodes(node_limit=1)
         self.join_created_communities()
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ class TestCommunityMessages(StepsCommon):
             delay(10)
         assert community_node.wait_for_logs([message])
 
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_community_messages_with_node_pause_30_seconds(self):
         self.setup_community_nodes(node_limit=1)
         self.join_created_communities()
diff --git a/tests/test_fetch_community.py b/tests/test_fetch_community.py
index e7a0f0ec..64d9dd4c 100644
--- a/tests/test_fetch_community.py
+++ b/tests/test_fetch_community.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("start_1_node")
 class TestFetchCommunity(StepsCommon):
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_fetch_community_baseline(self):
         try:
             self.community_nodes
diff --git a/tests/test_join_community.py b/tests/test_join_community.py
index 110c7820..4ee8b7d9 100644
--- a/tests/test_join_community.py
+++ b/tests/test_join_community.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("start_1_node")
 class TestJoinCommunity(StepsCommon):
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_join_community_baseline(self):
         try:
             self.community_nodes
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ class TestJoinCommunity(StepsCommon):
         with self.add_low_bandwith():
             self.test_join_community_baseline()
 
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_join_community_with_node_pause(self):
         self.setup_community_nodes(node_limit=1)
         community_id = self.community_nodes[0]["community_id"]
diff --git a/tests/test_leave_community.py b/tests/test_leave_community.py
index af914731..09d6ccc1 100644
--- a/tests/test_leave_community.py
+++ b/tests/test_leave_community.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("start_1_node")
 class TestLeaveCommunity(StepsCommon):
+    @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=2)
     def test_leave_community_baseline(self):
         try:
             self.community_nodes