diff --git a/.woodpecker.yml b/.woodpecker.yml
index f8f4eb5f3..46eb4c5d5 100644
--- a/.woodpecker.yml
+++ b/.woodpecker.yml
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ steps:
       - cd api_tests/
       - pnpm i
       - pnpm api-test
+      - pnpm api-test # run twice to ensure they don't create state
     when: *slow_check_paths
 
   federation_tests_server_output:
diff --git a/api_tests/src/follow.spec.ts b/api_tests/src/follow.spec.ts
index 161c7f045..5e7f70e70 100644
--- a/api_tests/src/follow.spec.ts
+++ b/api_tests/src/follow.spec.ts
@@ -21,39 +21,36 @@ test("Follow local community", async () => {
   let user = await registerUser(beta, betaUrl);
 
   let community = (await resolveBetaCommunity(user)).community!;
-  expect(community.counts.subscribers).toBe(1);
-  expect(community.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(1);
   let follow = await followCommunity(user, true, community.community.id);
 
   // Make sure the follow response went through
   expect(follow.community_view.community.local).toBe(true);
   expect(follow.community_view.subscribed).toBe("Subscribed");
-  expect(follow.community_view.counts.subscribers).toBe(2);
-  expect(follow.community_view.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(2);
+  expect(follow.community_view.counts.subscribers).toBe(community.counts.subscribers + 1);
+  expect(follow.community_view.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(community.counts.subscribers_local + 1);
 
   // Test an unfollow
   let unfollow = await followCommunity(user, false, community.community.id);
   expect(unfollow.community_view.subscribed).toBe("NotSubscribed");
-  expect(unfollow.community_view.counts.subscribers).toBe(1);
-  expect(unfollow.community_view.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(1);
+  expect(unfollow.community_view.counts.subscribers).toBe(community.counts.subscribers);
+  expect(unfollow.community_view.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(community.counts.subscribers_local);
 });
 
 test("Follow federated community", async () => {
   // It takes about 1 second for the community aggregates to federate
-  let betaCommunity = (
+  const betaCommunityInitial = (
     await waitUntil(
       () => resolveBetaCommunity(alpha),
       c =>
-        c.community?.counts.subscribers === 1 &&
-        c.community.counts.subscribers_local === 0,
+        !!c.community && (c.community?.counts.subscribers >= 1)
     )
   ).community;
-  if (!betaCommunity) {
+  if (!betaCommunityInitial) {
     throw "Missing beta community";
   }
-  let follow = await followCommunity(alpha, true, betaCommunity.community.id);
+  let follow = await followCommunity(alpha, true, betaCommunityInitial.community.id);
   expect(follow.community_view.subscribed).toBe("Pending");
-  betaCommunity = (
+  const betaCommunity = (
     await waitUntil(
       () => resolveBetaCommunity(alpha),
       c => c.community?.subscribed === "Subscribed",
@@ -64,20 +61,19 @@ test("Follow federated community", async () => {
   expect(betaCommunity?.community.local).toBe(false);
   expect(betaCommunity?.community.name).toBe("main");
   expect(betaCommunity?.subscribed).toBe("Subscribed");
-  expect(betaCommunity?.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(1);
+  expect(betaCommunity?.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(betaCommunityInitial.counts.subscribers_local + 1);
 
   // check that unfollow was federated
   let communityOnBeta1 = await resolveBetaCommunity(beta);
-  expect(communityOnBeta1.community?.counts.subscribers).toBe(2);
-  expect(communityOnBeta1.community?.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(1);
+  expect(communityOnBeta1.community?.counts.subscribers).toBe(betaCommunityInitial.counts.subscribers + 1);
+  expect(communityOnBeta1.community?.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(betaCommunityInitial.counts.subscribers_local);
 
   // Check it from local
   let site = await getSite(alpha);
   let remoteCommunityId = site.my_user?.follows.find(
-    c => c.community.local == false,
+    c => c.community.local == false && c.community.id === betaCommunityInitial.community.id,
   )?.community.id;
   expect(remoteCommunityId).toBeDefined();
-  expect(site.my_user?.follows.length).toBe(2);
 
   if (!remoteCommunityId) {
     throw "Missing remote community id";
@@ -89,10 +85,10 @@ test("Follow federated community", async () => {
 
   // Make sure you are unsubbed locally
   let siteUnfollowCheck = await getSite(alpha);
-  expect(siteUnfollowCheck.my_user?.follows.length).toBe(1);
+  expect(siteUnfollowCheck.my_user?.follows.find(c => c.community.id === betaCommunityInitial.community.id)).toBe(undefined);
 
   // check that unfollow was federated
-  let communityOnBeta2 = await resolveBetaCommunity(beta);
-  expect(communityOnBeta2.community?.counts.subscribers).toBe(1);
+  let communityOnBeta2 = await waitUntil(() => resolveBetaCommunity(beta), c => c.community?.counts.subscribers === betaCommunityInitial.counts.subscribers);
+  expect(communityOnBeta2.community?.counts.subscribers).toBe(betaCommunityInitial.counts.subscribers);
   expect(communityOnBeta2.community?.counts.subscribers_local).toBe(1);
 });
diff --git a/api_tests/src/post.spec.ts b/api_tests/src/post.spec.ts
index cb45274c6..f77dbb2ae 100644
--- a/api_tests/src/post.spec.ts
+++ b/api_tests/src/post.spec.ts
@@ -52,17 +52,19 @@ beforeAll(async () => {
 
 afterAll(unfollows);
 
-async function assertPostFederation(postOne: PostView, postTwo: PostView) {
+async function assertPostFederation(postOne: PostView, postTwo: PostView, waitForMeta = true) {
   // Link metadata is generated in background task and may not be ready yet at this time,
   // so wait for it explicitly. For removed posts we cant refetch anything.
-  postOne = await waitForPost(beta, postOne.post, res => {
-    return res === null || res?.post.embed_title !== null;
-  });
-  postTwo = await waitForPost(
-    beta,
-    postTwo.post,
-    res => res === null || res?.post.embed_title !== null,
-  );
+if(waitForMeta) {
+    postOne = await waitForPost(beta, postOne.post, res => {
+      return res === null || !!res?.post.embed_title;
+    });
+    postTwo = await waitForPost(
+      beta,
+      postTwo.post,
+      res => res === null || !!res?.post.embed_title,
+    );
+  }
 
   expect(postOne?.post.ap_id).toBe(postTwo?.post.ap_id);
   expect(postOne?.post.name).toBe(postTwo?.post.name);
@@ -408,7 +410,7 @@ test("Remove a post from admin and community on same instance", async () => {
     p => p?.post_view.post.removed ?? false,
   );
   expect(alphaPost?.post_view.post.removed).toBe(true);
-  await assertPostFederation(alphaPost.post_view, removePostRes.post_view);
+  await assertPostFederation(alphaPost.post_view, removePostRes.post_view, false);
 
   // Undelete
   let undeletedPost = await removePost(beta, false, betaPost.post);
diff --git a/api_tests/src/user.spec.ts b/api_tests/src/user.spec.ts
index f44f3cc0a..302e0c0b0 100644
--- a/api_tests/src/user.spec.ts
+++ b/api_tests/src/user.spec.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ test("Requests with invalid auth should be treated as unauthenticated", async ()
 });
 
 test("Create user with Arabic name", async () => {
-  let user = await registerUser(alpha, alphaUrl, "تجريب");
+  let user = await registerUser(alpha, alphaUrl, "تجريب" + Math.random().toString().slice(2, 5));
 
   let site = await getSite(user);
   expect(site.my_user).toBeDefined();
diff --git a/crates/federate/src/send.rs b/crates/federate/src/send.rs
index 9658acf66..09fac10cc 100644
--- a/crates/federate/src/send.rs
+++ b/crates/federate/src/send.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ impl PartialEq for SendSuccessInfo {
     self.activity_id == other.activity_id
   }
 }
-/// order backwards because the binary heap is a max heap, and we need the smallest element to be on top
+/// order backwards because the binary heap is a max heap, and we need the smallest element to be on
+/// top
 impl PartialOrd for SendSuccessInfo {
   fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> Option<std::cmp::Ordering> {
     other.activity_id.partial_cmp(&self.activity_id)