diff --git a/web/build b/web/build
index d529624da..e0d0ae888 100755
--- a/web/build
+++ b/web/build
@@ -57,7 +57,17 @@ if [ -z $SKIP_TESTS ]; then
 	bundle exec rspec
 	if [ "$?" = "0" ]; then
 	    echo "success: ran rspec tests"
-	else
+    elif [ "$?" = "20" ]; then
+        echo "retrying once more"
+        bundle exec rspec
+
+        if [ "$?" = "0" ]; then
+            echo "success: ran rspec tests"
+        else
+            echo "running rspec tests for the second time failed."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    else
 	    echo "running rspec tests failed."
 	    exit 1
 	fi
diff --git a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
index be74fa3c9..298ff151a 100644
--- a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -19,38 +19,26 @@ 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"
 require 'jam_ruby'
 
 # uncomment this to see active record logs
 # ActiveRecord::Base.logger = Logger.new(STDOUT) if defined?(ActiveRecord::Base)
 
-
-#puts "1"
-
 include JamRuby
-
-#puts "2"
 # put ActionMailer into test mode
 ActionMailer::Base.delivery_method = :test
-
-#puts "3"
 RecordedTrack.observers.disable :all # only a few tests want this observer active
 
-#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 starting"
-#  sleep 30
-#  puts "thread waking"
-#  unless tests_started
- #   puts "tests are hung. exiting..."
- #   exit 20
- # end
-#}
+Thread.new {
+  sleep 30
+  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,