diff --git a/activation/e2e/activation_test.go b/activation/e2e/activation_test.go
index bf7557e9f7..7b80618211 100644
--- a/activation/e2e/activation_test.go
+++ b/activation/e2e/activation_test.go
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ func Test_BuilderWithMultipleClients(t *testing.T) {
 	genesis := time.Now().Add(layerDuration).Round(layerDuration)
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:        epoch,
-		CycleGap:          epoch / 2,
-		GracePeriod:       epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:          3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod:       epoch / 4,
 		RequestTimeout:    epoch / 5,
 		RequestRetryDelay: epoch / 50,
 		MaxRequestRetries: 10,
diff --git a/activation/e2e/atx_merge_test.go b/activation/e2e/atx_merge_test.go
index f048981338..343351fd99 100644
--- a/activation/e2e/atx_merge_test.go
+++ b/activation/e2e/atx_merge_test.go
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ var singerKeys = [2]string{
 }
 
 func Test_MarryAndMerge(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
 	ctrl := gomock.NewController(t)
 	signers := signers(t, singerKeys[:])
 
@@ -242,8 +241,8 @@ func Test_MarryAndMerge(t *testing.T) {
 	epoch := layersPerEpoch * layerDuration
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:  epoch,
-		CycleGap:    epoch / 2,
-		GracePeriod: epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:    3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod: epoch / 4,
 	}
 
 	client := ae2e.NewTestPoetClient(2)
diff --git a/activation/e2e/checkpoint_merged_test.go b/activation/e2e/checkpoint_merged_test.go
index 0a6ed3d6b0..7e818610f6 100644
--- a/activation/e2e/checkpoint_merged_test.go
+++ b/activation/e2e/checkpoint_merged_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func Test_CheckpointAfterMerge(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
 	ctrl := gomock.NewController(t)
 	signers := signers(t, singerKeys[:])
 
@@ -78,8 +77,8 @@ func Test_CheckpointAfterMerge(t *testing.T) {
 	epoch := layersPerEpoch * layerDuration
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:  epoch,
-		CycleGap:    epoch / 2,
-		GracePeriod: epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:    3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod: epoch / 4,
 	}
 
 	client := ae2e.NewTestPoetClient(2)
diff --git a/activation/e2e/nipost_test.go b/activation/e2e/nipost_test.go
index defbd852c4..c158f86f6d 100644
--- a/activation/e2e/nipost_test.go
+++ b/activation/e2e/nipost_test.go
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ func testPostConfig() activation.PostConfig {
 	cfg := activation.DefaultPostConfig()
 	// simplify PoST parameters for faster proving
 	cfg.K1 = 12
-	cfg.K2 = 10
-	cfg.K3 = 10
+	cfg.K2 = 8
+	cfg.K3 = 8
 	cfg.LabelsPerUnit = 64
 	return cfg
 }
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ func TestNIPostBuilderWithClients(t *testing.T) {
 	epoch := layersPerEpoch * layerDuration
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:  epoch / 2,
-		CycleGap:    epoch / 4,
-		GracePeriod: epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:    3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod: epoch / 4,
 	}
 
 	mclock := activation.NewMocklayerClock(ctrl)
@@ -267,8 +267,8 @@ func Test_NIPostBuilderWithMultipleClients(t *testing.T) {
 	epoch := layersPerEpoch * layerDuration
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:  epoch / 2,
-		CycleGap:    epoch / 4,
-		GracePeriod: epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:    3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod: epoch / 4,
 	}
 
 	poetDb := activation.NewPoetDb(db, logger.Named("poetDb"))
diff --git a/activation/e2e/validation_test.go b/activation/e2e/validation_test.go
index 6f7df7c582..170696e2ce 100644
--- a/activation/e2e/validation_test.go
+++ b/activation/e2e/validation_test.go
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ func TestValidator_Validate(t *testing.T) {
 	epoch := layersPerEpoch * layerDuration
 	poetCfg := activation.PoetConfig{
 		PhaseShift:  epoch / 2,
-		CycleGap:    epoch / 4,
-		GracePeriod: epoch / 5,
+		CycleGap:    3 * epoch / 4,
+		GracePeriod: epoch / 4,
 	}
 
 	poetDb := activation.NewPoetDb(sql.InMemory(), logger.Named("poetDb"))