diff --git a/packages/api/mocha-config.json b/packages/api/mocha-config.json
index ebe512a91..00d12f447 100644
--- a/packages/api/mocha-config.json
+++ b/packages/api/mocha-config.json
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
   "extension": ["ts"],
   "spec": "test/**/*.test.ts",
   "reporter": "mocha-unfunk-reporter",
-  "require": ["test/global-setup.ts", "test/global-teardown.ts"],
+  "require": ["test/global-setup.ts", "test/global-teardown.ts", "test/hooks.ts"],
   "timeout": 10000
 }
diff --git a/packages/api/test/hooks.ts b/packages/api/test/hooks.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..092b2c735
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/test/hooks.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { Storage } from '@google-cloud/storage'
+import sinon from 'sinon'
+import * as uploads from '../src/utils/uploads'
+import { MockStorage } from './mock_storage'
+
+export const mochaHooks = {
+  beforeEach() {
+    // Mock cloud storage
+    sinon
+      .stub(uploads, 'storage')
+      .value(new MockStorage() as unknown as Storage)
+
+    console.log('mock cloud storage created')
+  },
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/test/resolvers/features.test.ts b/packages/api/test/resolvers/features.test.ts
index 79fe126fc..7b9dce47c 100644
--- a/packages/api/test/resolvers/features.test.ts
+++ b/packages/api/test/resolvers/features.test.ts
@@ -159,12 +159,14 @@ describe('features resolvers', () => {
     })
 
     context('when user is already opted in', () => {
+      const grantedAt = new Date('2024-05-15')
+
       before(async () => {
         // opt in
         await createFeature({
           user: { id: loginUser.id },
           name: featureName,
-          grantedAt: new Date(),
+          grantedAt,
         })
       })
 
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ describe('features resolvers', () => {
           {
             uid: loginUser.id,
             featureName,
-            grantedAt: Date.now() / 1000,
+            grantedAt: grantedAt.getTime() / 1000,
           },
           env.server.jwtSecret,
           { expiresIn: '1y' }
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ describe('features resolvers', () => {
         expect(res.body.data.optInFeature).to.eql({
           feature: {
             name: featureName,
-            grantedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+            grantedAt: grantedAt.toISOString(),
             token,
           },
         })
diff --git a/packages/api/test/resolvers/subscriptions.test.ts b/packages/api/test/resolvers/subscriptions.test.ts
index b738e6cd9..6ee5027ac 100644
--- a/packages/api/test/resolvers/subscriptions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/api/test/resolvers/subscriptions.test.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe('Subscriptions API', () => {
       .post('/local/debug/fake-user-login')
       .send({ fakeEmail: user.email })
 
-    authToken = res.body.authToken
+    authToken = res.body.authToken as string
 
     // create test newsletter subscriptions
     const newsletterEmail = await createNewsletterEmail(user.id)
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ describe('Subscriptions API', () => {
           }))
         )
       } finally {
-        deleteUser(user2.id)
+        await deleteUser(user2.id)
       }
     })
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ describe('Subscriptions API', () => {
           }))
         )
       } finally {
-        deleteUser(user3.id)
+        await deleteUser(user3.id)
       }
     })
 
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ describe('Subscriptions API', () => {
           }))
         )
       } finally {
-        deleteUser(user2.id)
+        await deleteUser(user2.id)
       }
     })
 
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ describe('Subscriptions API', () => {
       const url = 'https://www.omnivore.app/rss'
       const subscriptionType = SubscriptionType.Rss
 
-      before(async () => {
+      before(() => {
         // fake rss parser
         sinon.replace(
           Parser.prototype,