diff --git a/spec/integration/api/conversations_controller_spec.rb b/spec/integration/api/conversations_controller_spec.rb
index ea2c71dc9..7f26e84b9 100644
--- a/spec/integration/api/conversations_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/api/conversations_controller_spec.rb
@@ -143,11 +143,12 @@ describe Api::V1::ConversationsController do
 
   describe "#index" do
     before do
-      post api_v1_conversations_path, params: @conversation_request
-      @read_conversation_guid = response_body(response)["guid"]
-      @read_conversation = conversation_service.find!(@read_conversation_guid)
-      post api_v1_conversations_path, params: @conversation_request
-      sleep(1)
+      Timecop.travel(1.hour.ago) do
+        post api_v1_conversations_path, params: @conversation_request
+        @read_conversation_guid = response_body(response)["guid"]
+        @read_conversation = conversation_service.find!(@read_conversation_guid)
+        post api_v1_conversations_path, params: @conversation_request
+      end
       post api_v1_conversations_path, params: @conversation_request
       @conversation_guid = response_body(response)["guid"]
       @conversation = conversation_service.find!(@conversation_guid)
diff --git a/spec/lib/api/paging/time_paginator_spec.rb b/spec/lib/api/paging/time_paginator_spec.rb
index 788b8ec7a..240cbe537 100644
--- a/spec/lib/api/paging/time_paginator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/api/paging/time_paginator_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe Api::Paging::TimePaginator do
         text:   "Post #{i}",
         public: public
       )
-      sleep(0.01.seconds)
+      Timecop.travel(1.hour.from_now)
     end
     @alice_search = alice.posts.where(public: true)
     @limit = 2
diff --git a/spec/services/conversation_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/conversation_service_spec.rb
index ef301f8f6..2e14b7f8f 100644
--- a/spec/services/conversation_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/conversation_service_spec.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ describe ConversationService do
       participant_ids: [bob.person.id]
     }
     @conversation = alice.build_conversation(opts)
-    @conversation.save
+    @conversation.created_at = 2.hours.ago
+    @conversation.save!
   end
 
   describe "#all_for_user" do
@@ -19,8 +20,8 @@ describe ConversationService do
         participant_ids: [bob.person.id]
       }
       @conversation = alice.build_conversation(opts)
+      @conversation.created_at = 1.hour.ago
       @conversation.save!
-      sleep(1)
       @date = @conversation.created_at
       opts = {
         subject:         "conversation subject 3",