diff --git a/spec/filewatch/rotate_spec.rb b/spec/filewatch/rotate_spec.rb
index cdef967..122ab58 100644
--- a/spec/filewatch/rotate_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/filewatch/rotate_spec.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ module FileWatch
     end
 
     context "create + rename rotation: when a new logfile is renamed to a path we have seen before and the open file is fully read, renamed outside glob" do
+      let(:stat_interval) { 0.04 }
+      let(:discover_interval) { 15 }
+
       let(:watch_dir) { directory.join("*A.log") }
       let(:file_path) { directory.join("1A.log") }
       subject { described_class.new(conf) }
@@ -60,21 +63,23 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener2) { observer.listener_for(second_file.to_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create file") do
-            file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line1}\n") }
-          end
-          .then_after(0.25, "write a 'unfinished' line") do
-            file_path.open("ab") { |file|  file.write(line2) }
-          end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rotate once") do
-            tmpfile = directory.join("1.logtmp")
-            tmpfile.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("\n#{line3}\n")}
+          .run_after(1.25, "create file") do
+            file_path.open("wb") { |file| file.write("#{line1}\n") }
+        end
+          .then_after(1.25, "write a 'unfinished' line") do
+            file_path.open("ab") { |file| file.write("#{line2}") }
+          end
+          .then_after(1.25, "rotate once") do
+                      tmpfile = directory.join("1.logtmp")
+            tmpfile.open("wb") { |file|
+              file.write("\n#{line3}\n")
+            }
             file_path.rename(directory.join("1.log.1"))
             FileUtils.mv(directory.join("1.logtmp").to_path, file1_path)
-          end
+        end
           .then("wait for expectation") do
-            sleep(0.25) # if ENV['CI']
-            wait(2).for { listener1.calls }.to eq([:open, :accept, :accept, :accept])
+            sleep(1.25) # if ENV['CI']
+            wait(2).for { listener1.calls }.to include(:open, :accept, :accept, :accept)
           end
           .then("quit") do
             tailing.quit
@@ -104,14 +109,14 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener3) { observer.listener_for(third_file.to_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create file") do
+          .run_after(0.75, "create file") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line1}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rotate 1 - line1(66) is in 2B.log, line2(61) is in 1B.log") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rotate 1 - line1(66) is in 2B.log, line2(61) is in 1B.log") do
             file_path.rename(second_file)
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line2}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rotate 2 - line1(66) is in 3B.log, line2(61) is in 2B.log, line3(47) is in 1B.log") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rotate 2 - line1(66) is in 3B.log, line2(61) is in 2B.log, line3(47) is in 1B.log") do
             second_file.rename(third_file)
             file_path.rename(second_file)
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line3}\n") }
@@ -145,19 +150,19 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener2) { observer.listener_for(second_file.to_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create original - write line 1, 66 bytes") do
+          .run_after(0.75, "create original - write line 1, 66 bytes") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line1}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rename to 2.log") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rename to 2.log") do
             file_path.rename(second_file)
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "write line 2 to original, 61 bytes") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "write line 2 to original, 61 bytes") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line2}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rename to 2.log again") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rename to 2.log again") do
             file_path.rename(second_file)
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "write line 3 to original, 47 bytes") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "write line 3 to original, 47 bytes") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line3}\n") }
           end
           .then("wait for expectations to be met") do
@@ -188,19 +193,19 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener2) { observer.listener_for(second_file.to_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create original - write line 1, 66 bytes") do
+          .run_after(1.5, "create original - write line 1, 66 bytes") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line1}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rename to 2.log") do
+          .then_after(1.5, "rename to 2.log") do
             file_path.rename(second_file)
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line2}\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rename to 2.log again") do
+          .then_after(1.5, "rename to 2.log again") do
             file_path.rename(second_file)
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.write("#{line3}\n") }
           end
           .then("wait for expectations to be met") do
-            wait(0.5).for{listener1.lines.size == 3 && listener2.lines.empty?}.to eq(true)
+            wait(1).for{listener1.lines.size == 3 && listener2.lines.empty?}.to eq(true)
           end
           .then("quit") do
             tailing.quit
@@ -267,14 +272,14 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener1) { observer.listener_for(file1_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create file") do
+          .run_after(0.75, "create file") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts(line1); file.puts(line2) }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rotate") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rotate") do
             FileUtils.cp(file1_path, directory.join("1F.log.1").to_path)
             file_path.truncate(0)
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "write to truncated file") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "write to truncated file") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts(line3) }
           end
           .then("wait for expectations to be met") do
@@ -342,13 +347,13 @@ module FileWatch
       let(:listener2) { observer.listener_for(file2.to_path) }
       let(:actions) do
         RSpec::Sequencing
-          .run_after(0.25, "create file") do
+          .run_after(0.75, "create file") do
             file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts(line1); file.puts(line2) }
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "rename") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rename") do
             FileUtils.mv(file1_path, file2.to_path)
           end
-          .then_after(0.25, "write to renamed file") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "write to renamed file") do
             file2.open("ab") { |file|  file.puts(line3) }
           end
           .then("wait for expectations to be met") do
@@ -464,14 +469,14 @@ module FileWatch
         .run_after(0.75, "create file") do
           file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts(line1); file.puts(line2) }
         end
-        .then_after(0.5, "rename") do
+        .then_after(0.75, "rename") do
           file_path.rename(second_file)
           file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts("#{line3}") }
         end
         .then("wait for expectations to be met") do
           wait(2.0).for{listener1.lines.size + listener2.lines.size}.to eq(3)
-        end
-        .then_after(0.5, "rename again") do
+      end
+        .then_after(0.75, "rename again") do
           file_path.rename(second_file)
           file_path.open("wb") { |file|  file.puts("#{line4}") }
         end
diff --git a/spec/filewatch/tailing_spec.rb b/spec/filewatch/tailing_spec.rb
index fbc4f9e..e369e01 100644
--- a/spec/filewatch/tailing_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/filewatch/tailing_spec.rb
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ module FileWatch
         ENV["FILEWATCH_MAX_FILES_WARN_INTERVAL"] = "0"
         File.open(file_path, "wb")  { |file| file.write("line1\nline2\n") }
         File.open(file_path2, "wb") { |file| file.write("line-A\nline-B\n") }
+        sleep(0.25) # if ENV['CI']
       end
 
       context "when max_active is 1" do
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ module FileWatch
       end
 
       context "when close_older is set" do
-        let(:wait_before_quit) { 0.8 }
+        let(:wait_before_quit) { 1.5 }
         let(:opts) { super().merge(:close_older => 0.1, :max_open_files => 1, :stat_interval => 0.1) }
         let(:suffix) { "B" }
         it "opens both files" do
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ module FileWatch
             File.open(file_path, "wb") { |file|  file.write("line1\nline2\n") }
           end
           .then("wait") do
-            wait(0.75).for { listener1.lines }.to_not be_empty
+            wait(1.5).for { listener1.lines }.to_not be_empty
           end
           .then("quit") do
             tailing.quit
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ module FileWatch
       # it simulates that the user deleted the file
       # so when a stat is taken on the file an error is raised
       let(:suffix) { "E" }
-      let(:quit_after) { 0.2 }
+      let(:quit_after) { 1 }
       let(:stat)  { double("stat", :size => 100, :modified_at => Time.now.to_f, :inode => 234567, :inode_struct => InodeStruct.new("234567", 1, 5)) }
       let(:watched_file) { WatchedFile.new(file_path, stat, tailing.settings) }
       before do
@@ -253,10 +254,10 @@ module FileWatch
             # create file after first discovery, will be read from the beginning
             File.open(file_path, "wb") { |file|  file.write("line1\nline2\n") }
           end
-          .then_after(0.55, "rename file") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "rename file") do
             FileUtils.mv(file_path, new_file_path)
           end
-          .then_after(0.55, "then write to renamed file") do
+          .then_after(0.75, "then write to renamed file") do
             File.open(new_file_path, "ab") { |file|  file.write("line3\nline4\n") }
             wait(0.5).for{listener1.lines.size}.to eq(2), "listener1.lines.size not eq(2)"
           end
@@ -354,7 +355,7 @@ module FileWatch
         end
         .then("watch and wait") do
           tailing.watch_this(watch_dir)
-          wait(1.25).for{listener1.calls}.to eq([:open, :timed_out])
+          wait(2).for{listener1.calls}.to eq([:open, :timed_out])
         end
         .then("quit") do
           tailing.quit
@@ -450,7 +451,7 @@ module FileWatch
             FileUtils.mv(file_path2, file_path3)
           end
           .then("wait") do
-            wait(4).for do
+            wait(8).for do
               listener1.lines.size == 32 && listener2.calls == [:delete] && listener3.calls == [:open, :accept, :timed_out]
             end.to eq(true), "listener1.lines != 32 or listener2.calls != [:delete] or listener3.calls != [:open, :accept, :timed_out]"
           end
@@ -481,7 +482,7 @@ module FileWatch
             tailing.watch_this(watch_dir)
           end
           .then("wait for lines") do
-            wait(1.5).for{listener1.calls}.to eq([:open, :accept, :accept, :timed_out])
+            wait(2.5).for{listener1.calls}.to eq([:open, :accept, :accept, :timed_out])
           end
           .then("quit") do
             tailing.quit
diff --git a/spec/inputs/file_read_spec.rb b/spec/inputs/file_read_spec.rb
index 54c3685..9a13663 100644
--- a/spec/inputs/file_read_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/inputs/file_read_spec.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
       end
 
       events = input(conf) do |pipeline, queue|
-        wait(0.5).for{File.exist?(tmpfile_path)}.to be_falsey
+        wait(2).for{File.exist?(tmpfile_path)}.to be_falsey
         2.times.collect { queue.pop }
       end
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
       end
 
       events = input(conf) do |pipeline, queue|
-        wait(0.5).for{File.exist?(tmpfile_path)}.to be_falsey
+        wait(1).for{File.exist?(tmpfile_path)}.to be_falsey
         3.times.collect { queue.pop }
       end
 
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@
         'mode' => "read",
         'path' => "#{temp_directory}/*",
         'stat_interval' => interval,
-        'discover_interval' => interval,
+        'discover_interval' => 1,
         'sincedb_path' => "#{temp_directory}/.sincedb",
         'sincedb_write_interval' => interval
     }
@@ -284,7 +284,10 @@
       wait_for_start_processing(@run_thread)
     end
 
-    after { plugin.stop }
+    after {
+      plugin.stop
+      @run_thread.join
+    }
 
     it 'processes a file' do
       wait_for_file_removal(sample_file) # watched discovery
@@ -296,7 +299,7 @@
 
     it 'removes watched file from collection' do
       wait_for_file_removal(sample_file) # watched discovery
-      sleep(0.25) # give CI some space to execute the removal
+      sleep(1) # give CI some space to execute the removal
       # TODO shouldn't be necessary once WatchedFileCollection does proper locking
       watched_files = plugin.watcher.watch.watched_files_collection
       expect( watched_files ).to be_empty
@@ -330,7 +333,10 @@
       wait_for_start_processing(@run_thread)
     end
 
-    after { plugin.stop }
+    after {
+      plugin.stop
+      @run_thread.join
+    }
 
     it 'cleans up sincedb entry' do
       wait_for_file_removal(sample_file) # watched discovery
@@ -338,7 +344,7 @@
       sincedb_content = File.read(sincedb_path).strip
       expect( sincedb_content ).to_not be_empty
 
-      Stud.try(3.times) do
+      Stud.try(3.times, RSpec::Expectations::ExpectationNotMetError) do
         sleep(1.5) # > sincedb_clean_after
 
         sincedb_content = File.read(sincedb_path).strip
@@ -350,20 +356,36 @@
 
   private
 
-  def wait_for_start_processing(run_thread, timeout: 1.0)
+  def wait_for_start_processing(run_thread, timeout: 10.0)
     begin
       Timeout.timeout(timeout) do
-        sleep(0.01) while run_thread.status != 'sleep'
-        sleep(timeout) unless plugin.queue
-      end
-    rescue Timeout::Error
+        # sleep(0.01) while run_thread.status != 'sleep'
+        while run_thread.status != 'sleep'
+          puts "not sleep"
+          sleep(0.01)
+        end
+        # sleep(0.1) while !plugin.queue
+        while !plugin.queue
+          sleep(0.1)
+          puts "no queue"
+        end
+        puts "the queue size is #{plugin.queue.size}"
+          # sleep(0.1) while !plugin.queue
+          while plugin.queue.size == 0
+            sleep(0.1)
+            puts "no item on queue"
+          end
+        end
+    rescue Timeout::Error => e
+      puts "plugin timed out #{e}"
       raise "plugin did not start processing (timeout: #{timeout})" unless plugin.queue
     else
+      puts "plugin did not time out"
       raise "plugin did not start processing" unless plugin.queue
     end
   end
 
-  def wait_for_file_removal(path, timeout: 3 * interval)
-    wait(timeout).for { File.exist?(path) }.to be_falsey
+  def wait_for_file_removal(path)
+    wait(5).for { File.exist?(path) }.to be_falsey
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/inputs/file_tail_spec.rb b/spec/inputs/file_tail_spec.rb
index 7aefc69..2eb1575 100644
--- a/spec/inputs/file_tail_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/inputs/file_tail_spec.rb
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@
           .run("create file") do
             File.open(tmpfile_path, "wb") { |file|  file.puts(line) }
           end
-          .then_after(0.1, "identity is mapped") do
+          .then_after(0.25, "identity is mapped") do
             wait(0.75).for{subject.codec.identity_map[tmpfile_path]}.not_to be_nil, "identity is not mapped"
           end
           .then("wait for auto_flush") do
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@
         let(:suffix)       { "M" }
         it "an event is generated via auto_flush" do
           actions = RSpec::Sequencing
-            .run_after(0.1, "create files") do
+            .run_after(0.25, "create files") do
               File.open(tmpfile_path, "wb") do |fd|
                 fd.puts("line1.1-of-a")
                 fd.puts("  line1.2-of-a")
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@
                 "sincedb_path" => sincedb_path,
                 "stat_interval" => 0.1,
                 "max_open_files" => 1,
-                "close_older" => 0.5,
+                "close_older" => 1,
                 "start_position" => "beginning",
                 "file_sort_by" => "path",
                 "delimiter" => TEST_FILE_DELIMITER)
@@ -491,9 +491,9 @@
               wait(0.4).for{subject.codec.identity_count == 1 && events.size == 2}.to eq(true), "both identities are not mapped and the first two events are not built"
             end
             .then("wait for close to flush last event of each identity") do
-              wait(0.8).for{events.size}.to eq(4), "close does not flush last event of each identity"
+              wait(1.6).for{events.size}.to eq(4), "close does not flush last event of each identity"
             end
-            .then_after(0.1, "stop") do
+            .then_after(0.2, "stop") do
               subject.stop
             end
           subject.run(events)