diff --git a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/feed_spec.rb b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/feed_spec.rb
index e264dd7db..f2cc0c427 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/feed_spec.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/feed_spec.rb
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ describe Feed do
       claimed_recording1 = FactoryGirl.create(:claimed_recording)
       claimed_recording2 = FactoryGirl.create(:claimed_recording)
 
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording1.recording, user:claimed_recording1.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording1.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording1, user:claimed_recording1.user)
 
       feeds, start = Feed.index(user1, :sort => 'plays')
       feeds.length.should == 4
 
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, user:claimed_recording1.user)
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, user:claimed_recording2.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording2, user:claimed_recording1.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_play, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording2, user:claimed_recording2.user)
 
       feeds, start = Feed.index(user1, :sort => 'plays')
       feeds.length.should == 4
@@ -96,13 +96,13 @@ describe Feed do
       claimed_recording1 = FactoryGirl.create(:claimed_recording)
       claimed_recording2 = FactoryGirl.create(:claimed_recording)
 
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording1.recording, user:claimed_recording1.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording1.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording1, user:claimed_recording1.user)
 
       feeds, start = Feed.index(user1, :sort => 'likes')
       feeds.length.should == 4
 
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, user:claimed_recording1.user)
-      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, user:claimed_recording2.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording2, user:claimed_recording1.user)
+      FactoryGirl.create(:recording_like, recording: claimed_recording2.recording, claimed_recording: claimed_recording2, user:claimed_recording2.user)
 
       feeds, start = Feed.index(user1, :sort => 'likes')
       feeds.length.should == 4
diff --git a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
index bb614463c..b6cf25056 100644
--- a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -19,37 +19,37 @@ db_config = YAML::load(File.open('config/database.yml'))["test"]
 # initialize ActiveRecord's db connection\
 SpecDb::recreate_database(db_config)
 ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(YAML::load(File.open('config/database.yml'))["test"])
-#puts "0"
+puts "0"
 require 'jam_ruby'
 
 # uncomment this to see active record logs
 # ActiveRecord::Base.logger = Logger.new(STDOUT) if defined?(ActiveRecord::Base)
 
-#puts "1"
+puts "1"
 
 include JamRuby
 
-#puts "2"
+puts "2"
 # put ActionMailer into test mode
 ActionMailer::Base.delivery_method = :test
 
-#puts "3"
+puts "3"
 RecordedTrack.observers.disable :all # only a few tests want this observer active
 
-#puts "4"
+puts "4"
 # a way to kill tests if they aren't running. capybara is hanging intermittently, I think
 
 tests_started = false
 
-#Thread.new {
-#  puts "thread statring"
-#  sleep 30
-#  puts "thread waking"
-#  unless tests_started
-
-#    exit 20
-#  end
-#}
+Thread.new {
+  puts "thread starting"
+  sleep 30
+  puts "thread waking"
+  unless tests_started
+    puts "tests are hung. exiting..."
+    exit 20
+  end
+}
 
 Spork.prefork do
   # Loading more in this block will cause your tests to run faster. However,