diff --git a/test/integration/project-loading.test.js b/test/integration/project-loading.test.js
index 7d857c286ade13c9fe5d831b57cc42a1de945a29..b11a5bf594d6bd35bf68202bce1c9b3bf0a34cd0 100644
--- a/test/integration/project-loading.test.js
+++ b/test/integration/project-loading.test.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import SeleniumHelper from '../helpers/selenium-helper';
 const {
     clickText,
     clickXpath,
+    findByText,
     findByXpath,
     getDriver,
     getLogs,
@@ -31,7 +32,9 @@ describe('Loading scratch gui', () => {
             await clickText('Oops! Something went wrong.');
         });
 
-        test('Load a project by ID directly through url', async () => {
+        // skipping because it relies on network speed, and tests a method
+        // of loading projects that we are not actively using anymore
+        test.skip('Load a project by ID directly through url', async () => {
             await driver.quit(); // Reset driver to test hitting # url directly
             driver = getDriver();
 
@@ -44,7 +47,9 @@ describe('Loading scratch gui', () => {
             await expect(logs).toEqual([]);
         });
 
-        test('Load a project by ID (fullscreen)', async () => {
+        // skipping because it relies on network speed, and tests a method
+        // of loading projects that we are not actively using anymore
+        test.skip('Load a project by ID (fullscreen)', async () => {
             await driver.quit(); // Reset driver to test hitting # url directly
             driver = getDriver();
 
@@ -73,7 +78,6 @@ describe('Loading scratch gui', () => {
 
         test('Creating new project resets active tab to Code tab', async () => {
             await loadUri(uri);
-            await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
             await findByXpath('//*[span[text()="Costumes"]]');
             await clickText('Costumes');
             await clickXpath(
@@ -81,13 +85,12 @@ describe('Loading scratch gui', () => {
                 'contains(@class, "menu-bar_hoverable")][span[text()="File"]]'
             );
             await clickXpath('//li[span[text()="New"]]');
-            await findByXpath('//*[div[@class="scratchCategoryMenu"]]');
+            await findByXpath('//div[@class="scratchCategoryMenu"]');
             await clickText('Operators', scope.blocksTab);
         });
 
         test('Not logged in->made no changes to project->create new project should not show alert', async () => {
             await loadUri(uri);
-            await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
             await clickXpath(
                 '//div[contains(@class, "menu-bar_menu-bar-item") and ' +
                 'contains(@class, "menu-bar_hoverable")][span[text()="File"]]'
@@ -99,10 +102,10 @@ describe('Loading scratch gui', () => {
 
         test('Not logged in->made a change to project->create new project should show alert', async () => {
             await loadUri(uri);
-            await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
             await clickText('Sounds');
             await clickXpath('//button[@aria-label="Choose a Sound"]');
             await clickText('A Bass', scope.modal); // Should close the modal
+            await findByText('1.28'); // length of A Bass sound
             await clickXpath(
                 '//div[contains(@class, "menu-bar_menu-bar-item") and ' +
                 'contains(@class, "menu-bar_hoverable")][span[text()="File"]]'