diff --git a/aiida_workgraph/engine/awaitable_manager.py b/aiida_workgraph/engine/awaitable_manager.py
index 414933a5..20124c5a 100644
--- a/aiida_workgraph/engine/awaitable_manager.py
+++ b/aiida_workgraph/engine/awaitable_manager.py
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ def resolve_awaitable(self, awaitable: Awaitable, value: Any) -> None:
             raise AssertionError(f"Unsupported awaitable action: {awaitable.action}")
 
         awaitable.resolved = True
-        # remove awaitabble from the list
-        self._awaitables = [a for a in self._awaitables if a.pk != awaitable.pk]
+        # remove awaitabble from the list, and use the same list reference
+        self._awaitables[:] = [a for a in self._awaitables if a.pk != awaitable.pk]
 
         if not self.process.has_terminated():
             # the process may be terminated, for example, if the process was killed or excepted
diff --git a/tests/test_engine.py b/tests/test_engine.py
index 2b322d7b..04c4fea5 100644
--- a/tests/test_engine.py
+++ b/tests/test_engine.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def test_reset_node(wg_engine: WorkGraph) -> None:
     assert len(wg.process.base.extras.get("_workgraph_queue")) == 1
 
 
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("started_daemon_client")
 def test_max_number_jobs(add_code) -> None:
     from aiida_workgraph import WorkGraph
     from aiida.orm import Int
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ def test_max_number_jobs(add_code) -> None:
         )
     # Set the maximum number of running jobs inside the WorkGraph
     wg.max_number_jobs = 2
-    wg.submit(wait=True, timeout=100)
+    wg.submit(wait=True, timeout=40)
     report = get_workchain_report(wg.process, "REPORT")
     assert "tasks ready to run: add2" in report
+    wg.tasks["add2"].outputs["sum"].value == 2
diff --git a/tests/test_workgraph.py b/tests/test_workgraph.py
index 1f00221d..419fa11f 100644
--- a/tests/test_workgraph.py
+++ b/tests/test_workgraph.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def test_pause_play_task(wg_calcjob):
     wg.pause_tasks(["add2"])
     wg.play_tasks(["add1"])
     # wait for the workgraph to launch add2
-    wg.wait(tasks={"add2": ["CREATED"]}, timeout=20)
+    wg.wait(tasks={"add2": ["CREATED"]}, timeout=40)
     assert wg.tasks["add2"].node.process_state.value.upper() == "CREATED"
     assert wg.tasks["add2"].node.process_status == "Paused through WorkGraph"
     # I disabled the following lines because the test is not stable