diff --git a/spec/models/activity_observer_spec.rb b/spec/models/activity_observer_spec.rb
index 91c7d914..aed1b26d 100644
--- a/spec/models/activity_observer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/activity_observer_spec.rb
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ describe ActivityObserver do
   end
 
   describe "Merge Request created" do 
-    before do 
-      @merge_request = Factory :merge_request, :project => project
-      @event = Event.last
+    before do
+      MergeRequest.observers.enable :activity_observer do
+        @merge_request = Factory :merge_request, :project => project
+        @event = Event.last
+      end
     end
 
     it_should_be_valid_event
@@ -20,9 +22,11 @@ describe ActivityObserver do
   end
 
   describe "Issue created" do 
-    before do 
-      @issue = Factory :issue, :project => project
-      @event = Event.last
+    before do
+      Issue.observers.enable :activity_observer do
+        @issue = Factory :issue, :project => project
+        @event = Event.last
+      end
     end
 
     it_should_be_valid_event
diff --git a/spec/models/issue_observer_spec.rb b/spec/models/issue_observer_spec.rb
index 42cf81c5..b66803e6 100644
--- a/spec/models/issue_observer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/issue_observer_spec.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ describe IssueObserver do
 
     it 'is called when an issue is created' do
       subject.should_receive(:after_create)
-      Factory.create(:issue, :project => Factory.create(:project))
+
+      Issue.observers.enable :issue_observer do
+        Factory.create(:issue, :project => Factory.create(:project))
+      end
     end
 
     it 'sends an email to the assignee' do
@@ -40,8 +43,11 @@ describe IssueObserver do
     it 'is called when an issue is changed' do
       changed = Factory.create(:issue, :project => Factory.create(:project))
       subject.should_receive(:after_update)
-      changed.description = 'I changed'
-      changed.save
+
+      Issue.observers.enable :issue_observer do
+        changed.description = 'I changed'
+        changed.save
+      end
     end
 
     context 'a reassigned email' do
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index 6285a852..d28668b2 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -72,16 +72,29 @@ describe Project do
   end
 
   describe "last_activity" do
-    let(:project) { Factory :project }
+    let(:project)    { Factory :project }
+    let(:last_event) { double }
 
     before do
-      @issue = Factory :issue, :project => project
+      project.stub(:events).and_return( [ double, double, last_event ] )
     end
 
-    it { project.last_activity.should == Event.last }
-    it { project.last_activity_date.to_s.should == Event.last.created_at.to_s }
+    it { project.last_activity.should == last_event }
   end
 
+  describe 'last_activity_date' do
+    let(:project)    { Factory :project }
+
+    it 'returns the creation date of the project\'s last event if present' do
+      last_event = double(:created_at => 'now')
+      project.stub(:events).and_return( [double, double, last_event] )
+      project.last_activity_date.should == last_event.created_at
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the project\'s last update date if it has no events' do
+      project.last_activity_date.should == project.updated_at
+    end
+  end
   describe "fresh commits" do
     let(:project) { Factory :project }
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/admin/admin_users_spec.rb b/spec/requests/admin/admin_users_spec.rb
index c98ed2cf..d9c3472d 100644
--- a/spec/requests/admin/admin_users_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/admin/admin_users_spec.rb
@@ -40,19 +40,23 @@ describe "Admin::Users" do
     end
 
     it "should call send mail" do
-      Notify.should_receive(:new_user_email).and_return(stub(:deliver => true))
-      click_button "Save"
+      User.observers.enable :mailer_observer do
+        Notify.should_receive(:new_user_email).and_return(stub(:deliver => true))
+        click_button "Save"
+      end
     end
 
     it "should send valid email to user with email & password" do
-      with_resque do
-        click_button "Save"
+      User.observers.enable :mailer_observer do
+        with_resque do
+          click_button "Save"
+        end
+        user = User.last
+        email = ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.last
+        email.subject.should have_content("Account was created")
+        email.body.should have_content(user.email)
+        email.body.should have_content(@password)
       end
-      user = User.last
-      email = ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.last
-      email.subject.should have_content("Account was created")
-      email.body.should have_content(user.email)
-      email.body.should have_content(@password)
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/issues_spec.rb b/spec/requests/issues_spec.rb
index aa43b997..2c8650a8 100644
--- a/spec/requests/issues_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/issues_spec.rb
@@ -128,18 +128,22 @@ describe "Issues" do
         end
 
         it "should call send mail" do
-          Notify.should_receive(:new_issue_email).and_return(stub(:deliver => true))
-          click_button "Submit new issue"
+          Issue.observers.enable :issue_observer do
+            Notify.should_receive(:new_issue_email).and_return(stub(:deliver => true))
+            click_button "Submit new issue"
+          end
         end
 
         it "should send valid email to user" do
-          with_resque do
-            click_button "Submit new issue"
+          Issue.observers.enable :issue_observer do
+            with_resque do
+              click_button "Submit new issue"
+            end
+            issue = Issue.last
+            email = ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.last
+            email.subject.should have_content("New Issue was created")
+            email.body.should have_content(issue.title)
           end
-          issue = Issue.last
-          email = ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.last
-          email.subject.should have_content("New Issue was created")
-          email.body.should have_content(issue.title)
         end
 
       end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 18b7854d..5556798f 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
     DatabaseCleaner.start
 
     WebMock.disable_net_connect!(allow_localhost: true)
+    ActiveRecord::Base.observers.disable :all
   end
 
   config.after do