diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 23c20cad4..1369b678b 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ group :test do
 
   gem "capybara",           "2.7.1"
   gem "database_cleaner",   "1.5.3"
-  gem "poltergeist",        "1.9.0"
+  gem "poltergeist",        "1.10.0"
 
   gem "cucumber-api-steps", "0.13", require: false
   gem "json_spec", "1.1.4"
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem "rspec-rails", "3.5.1"
 
   # Cucumber (integration tests)
-  gem "cucumber-rails", "1.4.3", require: false
+  gem "cucumber-rails", "1.4.4", require: false
 
   # Jasmine (client side application tests (JS))
   gem "jasmine",                   "2.4.0"
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index a8ec44b3c..02a8cc166 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ GEM
       rspec (>= 2.12.0)
     cucumber-core (1.5.0)
       gherkin (~> 4.0)
-    cucumber-rails (1.4.3)
+    cucumber-rails (1.4.4)
       capybara (>= 1.1.2, < 3)
       cucumber (>= 1.3.8, < 3)
       mime-types (>= 1.16, < 4)
       nokogiri (~> 1.5)
-      railties (>= 3, < 5)
+      railties (>= 3, < 5.1)
     cucumber-wire (0.0.1)
     database_cleaner (1.5.3)
     devise (4.2.0)
@@ -576,10 +576,9 @@ GEM
     pg (0.18.4)
     phantomjs (2.1.1.0)
     pkg-config (1.1.7)
-    poltergeist (1.9.0)
+    poltergeist (1.10.0)
       capybara (~> 2.1)
       cliver (~> 0.3.1)
-      multi_json (~> 1.0)
       websocket-driver (>= 0.2.0)
     powerpack (0.1.1)
     pronto (0.7.0)
@@ -924,7 +923,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   configurate (= 0.3.1)
   coveralls
   cucumber-api-steps (= 0.13)
-  cucumber-rails (= 1.4.3)
+  cucumber-rails (= 1.4.4)
   database_cleaner (= 1.5.3)
   devise (= 4.2.0)
   devise-token_authenticatable (= 0.5.2)
@@ -976,7 +975,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   open_graph_reader (= 0.6.1)
   openid_connect (= 0.11.2)
   pg (= 0.18.4)
-  poltergeist (= 1.9.0)
+  poltergeist (= 1.10.0)
   pronto (= 0.7.0)
   pronto-eslint (= 0.7.0)
   pronto-haml (= 0.7.0)
diff --git a/features/desktop/aspect_navigation.feature b/features/desktop/aspect_navigation.feature
index 84d601857..d6a70ab3b 100644
--- a/features/desktop/aspect_navigation.feature
+++ b/features/desktop/aspect_navigation.feature
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ Feature: Aspect navigation on the left menu
 
     Scenario: Aspects selection is remembered through site navigation
       When I select only "Besties" aspect
+      Then I should be on the aspects page
+
+      When I go to the stream page
       And I go to the aspects page
       Then I should see "Besties" aspect selected
       And I should see "Unicorns" aspect unselected
diff --git a/features/mobile/drawer.feature b/features/mobile/drawer.feature
index 6338406e3..259f06e17 100644
--- a/features/mobile/drawer.feature
+++ b/features/mobile/drawer.feature
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ Feature: Navigate between pages using the header menu and the drawer
     Then I should be on the new status message page
 
   Scenario: search a user
-    When I open the drawer
+    When I have turned off jQuery effects
+    And I open the drawer
     And I search for "Bob"
     Then I should see "Users matching Bob" within "#search_title"
 
   Scenario: search for a tag
-    When I open the drawer
+    When I have turned off jQuery effects
+    And I open the drawer
     And I search for "#bob"
     Then I should be on the tag page for "bob"
 
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/mobile_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/mobile_steps.rb
index ba0bfba22..28a966e3a 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/mobile_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/mobile_steps.rb
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ end
 
 When /^I open the drawer$/ do
   find("#menu-badge").click
-  expect(find("#app")["class"]).to include "draw"
+  expect(page).to have_css("#app.draw")
 end
 
 Then /^the aspect dropdown within "([^"]*)" should be labeled "([^"]*)"/ do |selector, label|
   within(selector) do
-    current_scope.should have_css("option.list_cover", :text => label)
+    current_scope.should have_no_css("option.list_cover", text: "updating...")
+    current_scope.should have_css("option.list_cover", text: label)
   end
 end
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/session_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/session_steps.rb
index 56c747fad..03f5bd3ed 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/session_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/session_steps.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ end
 
 When /^I (?:log|sign) out$/ do
   logout
+  step "I go to the root page"
 end
 
 When /^I (?:log|sign) out manually$/ do
diff --git a/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb b/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb
index 36985fc50..bcc7aff8a 100644
--- a/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb
+++ b/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,12 @@ module PublishingCukeHelpers
 
     # make sure the other text field got the new contents
     if input_selector == "#status_message_fake_text"
-      expect(page).to have_selector("#status_message_text[value='#{status_message_text} #{txt}']", visible: false)
+      begin
+        expect(page).to have_selector("#status_message_text[value='#{status_message_text} #{txt}']", visible: false)
+      rescue RSpec::Expectations::ExpectationNotMetError
+        puts "Value was instead: #{find('#status_message_text', visible: false).value.inspect}"
+        raise
+      end
     end
   end