diff --git a/tests/backend/specs/api/sessionsAndGroups.js b/tests/backend/specs/api/sessionsAndGroups.js
index 3b5e1a912..bb3e28719 100644
--- a/tests/backend/specs/api/sessionsAndGroups.js
+++ b/tests/backend/specs/api/sessionsAndGroups.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+'use strict';
+
 const assert = require('assert').strict;
 const common = require('../../common');
 const supertest = require(`${__dirname}/../../../../src/node_modules/supertest`);
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ let padID = makeid();
 describe(__filename, function () {
   describe('API Versioning', function () {
     it('errors if can not connect', async function () {
+      this.timeout(200);
       await api.get('/api/')
           .expect(200)
           .expect((res) => {
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Group creation and deletion', function () {
     it('createGroup', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(endPoint('createGroup'))
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -66,6 +70,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('listSessionsOfGroup for empty group', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('listSessionsOfGroup')}&groupID=${groupID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -76,6 +81,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('deleteGroup', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('deleteGroup')}&groupID=${groupID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -85,6 +91,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('createGroupIfNotExistsFor', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('createGroupIfNotExistsFor')}&groupMapper=management`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -97,6 +104,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Author creation', function () {
     it('createGroup', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(endPoint('createGroup'))
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -108,6 +116,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('createAuthor', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(endPoint('createAuthor'))
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -118,6 +127,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('createAuthor with name', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('createAuthor')}&name=john`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -129,6 +139,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('createAuthorIfNotExistsFor', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('createAuthorIfNotExistsFor')}&authorMapper=chris`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -139,6 +150,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('getAuthorName', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('getAuthorName')}&authorID=${authorID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -151,6 +163,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Sessions', function () {
     it('createSession', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('createSession')
       }&authorID=${authorID}&groupID=${groupID}&validUntil=999999999999`)
           .expect(200)
@@ -163,6 +176,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('getSessionInfo', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('getSessionInfo')}&sessionID=${sessionID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -175,6 +189,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('listSessionsOfGroup', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('listSessionsOfGroup')}&groupID=${groupID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -185,6 +200,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('deleteSession', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('deleteSession')}&sessionID=${sessionID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -194,6 +210,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('getSessionInfo of deleted session', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('getSessionInfo')}&sessionID=${sessionID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -205,6 +222,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Group pad management', function () {
     it('listPads', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('listPads')}&groupID=${groupID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -215,6 +233,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('createGroupPad', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('createGroupPad')}&groupID=${groupID}&padName=${padID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -225,6 +244,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('listPads after creating a group pad', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('listPads')}&groupID=${groupID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -237,6 +257,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Pad security', function () {
     it('getPublicStatus', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('getPublicStatus')}&padID=${padID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -247,6 +268,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('setPublicStatus', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('setPublicStatus')}&padID=${padID}&publicStatus=true`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -256,6 +278,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
     });
 
     it('getPublicStatus after changing public status', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('getPublicStatus')}&padID=${padID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)
@@ -272,6 +295,7 @@ describe(__filename, function () {
 
   describe('API: Misc', function () {
     it('listPadsOfAuthor', async function () {
+      this.timeout(100);
       await api.get(`${endPoint('listPadsOfAuthor')}&authorID=${authorID}`)
           .expect(200)
           .expect('Content-Type', /json/)