diff --git a/tests/10_Writing/DeleteMethodsTest.php b/tests/10_Writing/DeleteMethodsTest.php
index 35ef7753..870d4fc2 100644
--- a/tests/10_Writing/DeleteMethodsTest.php
+++ b/tests/10_Writing/DeleteMethodsTest.php
@@ -146,10 +146,12 @@ public function testRemoveNodeParentState()
      */
     public function testRemoveNodeFromBackend()
     {
-        $node = $this->rootNode->addNode('toBeDeleted', 'nt:unstructured');
-        $this->sharedFixture['session']->save();
-
-        $this->renewSession();
+        $nodename = 'toBeDeleted';
+        if (! $this->rootNode->hasNode($nodename)) {
+            $this->rootNode->addNode($nodename, 'nt:unstructured');
+            $this->sharedFixture['session']->save();
+            $this->renewSession();
+        }
 
         $node = $this->sharedFixture['session']->getNode('/toBeDeleted');
 
@@ -160,7 +162,6 @@ public function testRemoveNodeFromBackend()
 
         $this->setExpectedException('\PHPCR\PathNotFoundException');
         $this->sharedFixture['session']->getNode('/toBeDeleted');
-
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/12_Observation/ObservationManagerTest.php b/tests/12_Observation/ObservationManagerTest.php
index 93857681..b224b02c 100644
--- a/tests/12_Observation/ObservationManagerTest.php
+++ b/tests/12_Observation/ObservationManagerTest.php
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ public function testFilteredEventJournalNodeType()
 
         // Make the root node have a UUID
         $root = $session->getRootNode();
-        $root->addNode('unstructured');
+        $node = $root->addNode('/tests_observation');
+        $node->addNode('unstructured');
         $session->save();
 
         // At this point the journal contains 3 events: PROP_ADDED (for setting the node type of the new node)
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ public function testFilteredEventJournalNodeType()
 
         // At this point the journal
         $this->assertTrue($journal->valid());
-        $this->assertEquals('/unstructured', $journal->current()->getPath());
+        $this->assertEquals('/tests_observation/unstructured', $journal->current()->getPath());
         $this->assertEquals(EventInterface::NODE_ADDED, $journal->current()->getType());
 
         $journal->next();
diff --git a/tests/PhpcrUtils/PurgeTest.php b/tests/PhpcrUtils/PurgeTest.php
index df8e0ea2..26cdaaed 100644
--- a/tests/PhpcrUtils/PurgeTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpcrUtils/PurgeTest.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ protected function setUp()
         }
         parent::setUp();
     }
+
     public function testPurge()
     {
         /** @var $session \PHPCR\SessionInterface */
@@ -40,6 +41,10 @@ public function testPurge()
         $session->save();
 
         NodeHelper::purgeWorkspace($session);
+        if ($session->getWorkspace()->getName() == 'crx.default') {
+            // if we would continue, we would delete all content from the only real workspace
+            $this->markTestIncomplete('TODO: how to test this with crx where we have no workspaces?');
+        }
         $session->save();
 
         // if there where system nodes, they should still be here