diff --git a/tests/vault/gear/scheduler-stress-test.cpp b/tests/vault/gear/scheduler-stress-test.cpp
index 824616ff3..9a16567c8 100644
--- a/tests/vault/gear/scheduler-stress-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/vault/gear/scheduler-stress-test.cpp
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ namespace test {
         {
            //smokeTest();
 //           setup_systematicSchedule();
-//           search_breaking_point();
-           verify_instrumentation();
+           search_breaking_point();
+//           verify_instrumentation();
 //           investigateWorkProcessing();
            walkingDeadline();
         }
diff --git a/tests/vault/gear/stress-test-rig.hpp b/tests/vault/gear/stress-test-rig.hpp
index 9a5b49948..8934e0b19 100644
--- a/tests/vault/gear/stress-test-rig.hpp
+++ b/tests/vault/gear/stress-test-rig.hpp
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ namespace test {
                      .withBaseExpense (CONF::BASE_EXPENSE)
                      .withSchedNotify (CONF::SCHED_NOTIFY)
                      .withSchedDepends(CONF::SCHED_DEPENDS)
-                     .withInstrumentation(CONF::INSTRUMENTATION)          // side-effect: clear existing statistics 
+                     .withInstrumentation(CONF::INSTRUMENTATION)          // side-effect: clear existing statistics
                      .withAdaptedSchedule(stressFac, CONF::CONCURRENCY);
           }
         
diff --git a/tests/vault/gear/test-chain-load.hpp b/tests/vault/gear/test-chain-load.hpp
index c98f3f09a..ddae88241 100644
--- a/tests/vault/gear/test-chain-load.hpp
+++ b/tests/vault/gear/test-chain-load.hpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ namespace test {
     const size_t DEFAULT_SIZ = 256;                     ///< default node count for the complete load graph
     
     const auto SAFETY_TIMEOUT = 5s;                     ///< maximum time limit for test run, abort if exceeded
-    const auto STANDARD_DEADLINE = 10ms;                ///< deadline to use for each individual computation job
+    const auto STANDARD_DEADLINE = 30ms;                ///< deadline to use for each individual computation job
     const size_t DEFAULT_CHUNKSIZE = 64;                ///< number of computation jobs to prepare in each planning round
     const double UPFRONT_PLANNING_BOOST = 2.6;          ///< factor to increase the computed pre-roll to ensure up-front planning
     const size_t GRAPH_BENCHMARK_RUNS = 5;              ///< repetition count for reference calculation of a complete node graph
@@ -1965,8 +1965,9 @@ namespace test {
                   if (not concurrency)
                     concurrency = defaultConcurrency();
                   double formFac = concurrency / stat.avgConcurrency;
-                  double expectedCumulatedTime = _uSec(compuLoad_->timeBase) * chainLoad_.getWeightSum();
-                  formFac *= stat.activeTime / expectedCumulatedTime;
+                  double expectedNodeTime = _uSec(compuLoad_->timeBase) * chainLoad_.getWeightSum() / chainLoad_.size();
+                  double realAvgNodeTime = stat.activeTime / stat.activationCnt;
+                  formFac *= realAvgNodeTime / expectedNodeTime;
                   return withAdaptedSchedule (stressFac, concurrency, formFac);
                 }
             }