diff --git a/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/AuthorizationClientTests.java b/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/AuthorizationClientTests.java
index ee30e5d..d40e829 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/AuthorizationClientTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/AuthorizationClientTests.java
@@ -63,6 +63,34 @@ public static void setup() {
         request.setName("test-" + UUID.randomUUID());
         ConductorApplication app = authorizationClient.createApplication(request);
         applicationId = app.getId();
+
+        // 1) Ensure the external test group exists
+        UpsertGroupRequest ensureGroup = new UpsertGroupRequest()
+                .defaultAccess(
+                        Map.of(
+                                TypeEnum.WORKFLOW_DEF.getValue(), List.of("CREATE", "READ", "UPDATE", "EXECUTE", "DELETE"),
+                                TypeEnum.TASK_DEF.getValue(), List.of("CREATE", "READ", "UPDATE", "EXECUTE", "DELETE")))
+                .description("Group used for SDK testing")
+                .roles(List.of(RolesEnum.ADMIN));
+        authorizationClient.upsertGroup(ensureGroup, "worker-test-group31dfe7a4-bd85-4ccc-9571-7c0e018ebc32");
+
+        // 2) Ensure the external test user exists
+        UpsertUserRequest ensureUser = new UpsertUserRequest();
+        ensureUser.setName("SDK Test User");
+        ensureUser.setRoles(List.of(UpsertUserRequest.RolesEnum.USER));
+        authorizationClient.upsertUser(ensureUser, "conductoruser1@gmail.com");
+
+        // 3) Ensure the task definition used across tests exists
+        try {
+            metadataClient.getTaskDef(Commons.TASK_NAME);
+        } catch (ConductorClientException e) {
+            // Register when missing; ignore if already present
+            if (e.getStatus() == 404) {
+                metadataClient.registerTaskDefs(List.of(Commons.getTaskDef()));
+            } else {
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @AfterAll
@@ -218,7 +246,6 @@ void testGrantPermissionsToDomain() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    @DisplayName("tag a workflows and task")
     public void tagWorkflowsAndTasks() {
         registerWorkflow();
         TagObject tagObject = new TagObject();
diff --git a/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/WorkflowStateUpdateTests.java b/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/WorkflowStateUpdateTests.java
index 5b7cad1..77d725d 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/WorkflowStateUpdateTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/test/java/io/orkes/conductor/client/http/WorkflowStateUpdateTests.java
@@ -23,8 +23,11 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 import com.netflix.conductor.client.exception.ConductorClientException;
+import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.tasks.TaskType;
 import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.tasks.Task;
 import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.tasks.TaskResult;
+import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.workflow.WorkflowDef;
+import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.workflow.WorkflowTask;
 import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.workflow.IdempotencyStrategy;
 import com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.workflow.StartWorkflowRequest;
 import com.netflix.conductor.common.run.Workflow;
@@ -42,10 +45,39 @@
 public class WorkflowStateUpdateTests {
 
     private static OrkesWorkflowClient workflowClient;
+    private static OrkesMetadataClient metadataClient;
 
     @BeforeAll
     public static void init() {
         workflowClient = ClientTestUtil.getOrkesClients().getWorkflowClient();
+        metadataClient = ClientTestUtil.getOrkesClients().getMetadataClient();
+
+        // Ensure required workflow exists on fresh clusters
+        try {
+            metadataClient.getWorkflowDef("sync_task_variable_updates", 1);
+        } catch (ConductorClientException e) {
+            if (e.getStatus() == 404) {
+                WorkflowDef def = new WorkflowDef();
+                def.setName("sync_task_variable_updates");
+                def.setVersion(1);
+                def.setOwnerEmail("example@orkes.io");
+
+                WorkflowTask wait1 = new WorkflowTask();
+                wait1.setName(TaskType.WAIT.name());
+                wait1.setTaskReferenceName("wait_task_ref");
+                wait1.setType(TaskType.WAIT.name());
+
+                WorkflowTask wait2 = new WorkflowTask();
+                wait2.setName(TaskType.WAIT.name());
+                wait2.setTaskReferenceName("wait_task_ref_2");
+                wait2.setType(TaskType.WAIT.name());
+
+                def.setTasks(List.of(wait1, wait2));
+                metadataClient.registerWorkflowDef(def);
+            } else {
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @SneakyThrows