diff --git a/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec.groovy b/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec.groovy
index c403b3a14..c272e8637 100644
--- a/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec.groovy
+++ b/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec.groovy
@@ -99,10 +99,6 @@ class HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec extends AbstractSpecification {
         then: "verify that the 'integration_task_1' was polled and acknowledged"
         verifyPolledAndAcknowledgedTask(pollAndCompleteTask)
 
-        when: "the subworkflow task should be in SCHEDULED state and is started by issuing a system task call"
-        List<String> polledTaskIds = queueDAO.pop("SUB_WORKFLOW", 1, 200)
-        asyncSystemTaskExecutor.execute(subWorkflowTask, polledTaskIds[0])
-
         then: "verify that the 'sub_workflow_task' is in a IN_PROGRESS state"
         def rootWorkflowInstance = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(rootWorkflowId, true)
         with(rootWorkflowInstance) {
@@ -336,7 +332,7 @@ class HierarchicalForkJoinSubworkflowRetrySpec extends AbstractSpecification {
         }
 
         when: "the SUB_WORKFLOW task in mid level workflow is started by issuing a system task call"
-        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(midLevelWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(1).subWorkflowId
+        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(midLevelWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(4).subWorkflowId
 
         then: "verify that a new leaf workflow is created and is in RUNNING state"
         newLeafWorkflowId != leafWorkflowId
diff --git a/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/SubWorkflowRetrySpec.groovy b/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/SubWorkflowRetrySpec.groovy
index 99f882323..17907d407 100644
--- a/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/SubWorkflowRetrySpec.groovy
+++ b/test-harness/src/test/groovy/com/netflix/conductor/test/integration/SubWorkflowRetrySpec.groovy
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import com.netflix.conductor.test.base.AbstractSpecification
 
 import spock.lang.Shared
 
+import static com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.tasks.TaskType.SUB_WORKFLOW
 import static com.netflix.conductor.common.metadata.tasks.TaskType.TASK_TYPE_SUB_WORKFLOW
 import static com.netflix.conductor.test.util.WorkflowTestUtil.verifyPolledAndAcknowledgedTask
 
@@ -201,24 +202,17 @@ class SubWorkflowRetrySpec extends AbstractSpecification {
             tasks[2].status == Task.Status.IN_PROGRESS
             tasks[2].retriedTaskId == tasks[1].taskId
         }
-        def newMidLevelWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(rootWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(1).subWorkflowId
+        def newMidLevelWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(rootWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(2).subWorkflowId
 
         then: "verify that a new mid level workflow is created and is in RUNNING state"
         newMidLevelWorkflowId != midLevelWorkflowId
         with(workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(newMidLevelWorkflowId, true)) {
             status == Workflow.WorkflowStatus.RUNNING
-            tasks.size() == 1
-            tasks[0].taskType == 'integration_task_1'
-            tasks[0].status == Task.Status.SCHEDULED
+            tasks.size() == 2
+            tasks[1].taskType == TASK_TYPE_SUB_WORKFLOW
+            tasks[1].status == Task.Status.IN_PROGRESS
         }
-
-        when: "poll and complete the integration_task_1 task in the mid-level workflow"
-        workflowTestUtil.pollAndCompleteTask('integration_task_1', 'task1.integration.worker', ['op': 'task1.done'])
-
-        and: "poll and execute the sub workflow task"
-        polledTaskIds = queueDAO.pop(TASK_TYPE_SUB_WORKFLOW, 1, 200)
-        asyncSystemTaskExecutor.execute(subWorkflowTask, polledTaskIds[0])
-        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getTask(polledTaskIds[0]).subWorkflowId
+        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(newMidLevelWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(1).subWorkflowId
 
         then: "verify that a new leaf workflow is created and is in RUNNING state"
         newLeafWorkflowId != leafWorkflowId
@@ -415,7 +409,7 @@ class SubWorkflowRetrySpec extends AbstractSpecification {
             tasks[1].status == Task.Status.IN_PROGRESS
             tasks[1].subworkflowChanged
         }
-        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(midLevelWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(1).subWorkflowId
+        def newLeafWorkflowId = workflowExecutionService.getExecutionStatus(midLevelWorkflowId, true).getTasks().get(2).subWorkflowId
 
         then: "verify that a new leaf workflow is created and is in RUNNING state"
         newLeafWorkflowId != leafWorkflowId