diff --git a/tests/AppStatsTest.php b/tests/AppStatsTest.php
index 9da633f..d6e37de 100644
--- a/tests/AppStatsTest.php
+++ b/tests/AppStatsTest.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute0() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
 
         $stats = self::$ably->stats([
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute0() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs + $oneMinuteMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $oneMinuteMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
 
         $stats = self::$ably->stats([
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute0() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute1() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
 
         $stats = self::$ably->stats([
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute1() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs + $oneMinuteMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $oneMinuteMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
 
         $stats = self::$ably->stats([
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMinute1() {
             "start" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ public function testAppstatsHour0() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "unit" => "hour"
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 180, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 180 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ public function testAppstatsDay0() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "unit" => "day"
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 180, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 180 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ public function testAppstatsMonth0() {
             "unit" => "month"
         ]);
 
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 180, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 180 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ public function testAppstatsLimit0() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ public function testAppstatsLimit1() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -238,15 +238,15 @@ public function testAppstatsPagination0() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
         // verify that there is no next page 
         $this->assertFalse( $stats->hasNext(), "Expected not to have next page" );
@@ -264,15 +264,15 @@ public function testAppstatsPagination1() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
         // verify that there is no next page 
         $this->assertFalse( $stats->hasNext(), "Expected not to have next page" );
@@ -290,15 +290,15 @@ public function testAppstatsPagination2() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
         // get first page 
         $stats = $stats->first();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 70, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 70 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -313,15 +313,15 @@ public function testAppstatsPagination3() {
             "end" => self::$timestampMs + $twoMinutesMs,
             "limit" => 1
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
         // get next page 
         $stats = $stats->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 60, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 60 messages" );
         // get first page 
         $stats = $stats->first();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 1 record" );
+        $this->assertCount(1, $stats->items, "Expected 1 record");
         $this->assertEquals( 50, $stats->items[0]->inbound->all->all->count, "Expected 50 messages" );
     }
 
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ public function testPaginationDefaults () {
             "start" => self::$timestampOlderMs,
             "end" => self::$timestampOlderMs + $twoHoursMs,
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 100, count( $stats->items ), "Expected 100 records" );
+        $this->assertCount(100, $stats->items, "Expected 100 records");
  
         // verify order
         $actualRecordsPeakData = [];
@@ -344,4 +344,4 @@ public function testPaginationDefaults () {
         $expectedData = range( 101, 2, -1 );
         $this->assertEquals( $expectedData, $actualRecordsPeakData, 'Expected records in backward order' );
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/AuthTest.php b/tests/AuthTest.php
index 0da208c..eba9ca4 100644
--- a/tests/AuthTest.php
+++ b/tests/AuthTest.php
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ public function testCreateTokenRequestParams() {
             'Unexpected values in TokenRequest built from ClientOptions + TokenParams + AuthOptions'
         );
         $this->assertNotNull( $tokenRequest->mac, 'Expected hmac to be generated' );
-        $this->assertTrue( $ablyKey->http->timeQueried, 'Expected server to be queried for time' );
+        $this->assertTrue( (bool)$ablyKey->http->timeQueried, 'Expected server to be queried for time' );
         $ablyKey->http->timeQueried = false;
     }
 
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ public function testAuthorize() {
 
         $tokenOriginal = $ably->auth->authorize();
 
-        $this->assertTrue( $ably->auth->requestTokenCalled, 'Expected authorize() to call requestToken()' );
+        $this->assertTrue( (bool)$ably->auth->requestTokenCalled, 'Expected authorize() to call requestToken()' );
 
         $this->assertFalse( $ably->auth->isUsingBasicAuth(), 'Expected token auth to be used' );
         $this->assertInstanceOf( 'Ably\Models\TokenDetails', $tokenOriginal,
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ public function testAuthorizeParams() {
 
         // test with empty params first
         $ably->auth->authorize();
-        $this->assertTrue( $ably->auth->requestTokenCalled, 'Expected authorize() to call requestToken()' );
+        $this->assertTrue( (bool)$ably->auth->requestTokenCalled, 'Expected authorize() to call requestToken()' );
         $this->assertEmpty( $ably->auth->lastTokenParams,
                             'Expected authorize() to pass empty tokenParams to requestToken()');
         $this->assertEmpty( $ably->auth->lastAuthOptions,
diff --git a/tests/ChannelHistoryTest.php b/tests/ChannelHistoryTest.php
index 74ebb45..a9c82b7 100644
--- a/tests/ChannelHistoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/ChannelHistoryTest.php
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsAndCheckOrderForwards() {
 
         // get the history for this channel
         $messages = $history1->history( ['direction' => 'forwards'] );
-        $this->assertEquals( 50, count($messages->items), 'Expected 50 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(50, $messages->items, 'Expected 50 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsAndCheckOrderBackwards() {
         $history2->publish( $msgsToSend );
 
         $messages = $history2->history( ['direction' => 'backwards'] );
-        $this->assertEquals( 50, count($messages->items), 'Expected 50 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(50, $messages->items, 'Expected 50 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public function testDefaults() {
         $channel->publish( $msgsToSend );
 
         $messages = $channel->history();
-        $this->assertEquals( 100, count( $messages->items ), 'Expected 100 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(100, $messages->items, 'Expected 100 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderForwards() {
         $history3->publish( $msgsToSend );
 
         $messages = $history3->history( ['direction' => 'forwards', 'limit' => 25] );
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages->items), 'Expected 25 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages->items, 'Expected 25 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderForwards() {
 
         // next page
         $messages2 = $messages->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages2->items), 'Expected 25 messages on 2nd page' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages2->items, 'Expected 25 messages on 2nd page');
 
         $actual_message_history2 = [];
         foreach ($messages2->items as $msg) {
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderForwards() {
 
         // get the first page from the 2nd page
         $messages1 = $messages2->first();
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages1->items), 'Expected 25 messages on the 1st page' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages1->items, 'Expected 25 messages on the 1st page');
 
         $actual_message_history1 = [];
         foreach ($messages1->items as $msg) {
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderBackwards() {
         $history4->publish( $msgsToSend );
 
         $messages = $history4->history( ['direction' => 'backwards', 'limit' => 25] );
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages->items), 'Expected 25 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages->items, 'Expected 25 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderBackwards() {
 
         // next page
         $messages2 = $messages->next();
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages2->items), 'Expected 25 messages on 2nd page' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages2->items, 'Expected 25 messages on 2nd page');
 
         $actual_message_history2 = [];
         foreach ($messages2->items as $msg) {
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsGetLimitedHistoryAndCheckOrderBackwards() {
 
         // get the first page from the 2nd page
         $messages1 = $messages2->first();
-        $this->assertEquals( 25, count($messages1->items), 'Expected 25 messages on the 1st page' );
+        $this->assertCount(25, $messages1->items, 'Expected 25 messages on the 1st page');
 
         $actual_message_history1 = [];
         foreach ($messages1->items as $msg) {
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsAndCheckExpectedHistoryInTimeSlicesForwards() {
             'start'     => $interval_start,
             'end'       => $interval_end,
         ]);
-        $this->assertEquals( 2, count($messages->items), 'Expected 2 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(2, $messages->items, 'Expected 2 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ public function testPublishEventsAndCheckExpectedHistoryInTimeSlicesBackwards()
             'end'       => $interval_end,
         ]);
 
-        $this->assertEquals( 2, count($messages->items), 'Expected 20 messages' );
+        $this->assertCount(2, $messages->items, 'Expected 20 messages');
 
         // verify message order
         $actual_message_history = [];
diff --git a/tests/ChannelIdempotentTest.php b/tests/ChannelIdempotentTest.php
index 9ad18ee..6925d3e 100644
--- a/tests/ChannelIdempotentTest.php
+++ b/tests/ChannelIdempotentTest.php
@@ -88,13 +88,13 @@ public function testIdempotentLibraryGenerated() {
             $body = json_decode($body);
 
         $id = explode ( ":", $body->id);
-        $this->assertEquals( count($id), 2);
+        $this->assertCount(2, $id);
         $this->assertGreaterThanOrEqual( 9, strlen(base64_decode($id[0])) );
-        $this->assertEquals( $id[1], "0");
+        $this->assertEquals( "0", $id[1]);
 
         $channel->publish($msg);
         $messages = $channel->history();
-        $this->assertEquals(1, count($messages->items));
+        $this->assertCount(1, $messages->items);
         $this->assertEquals($messages->items[0]->id, $msg->id);
     }
 
@@ -117,11 +117,11 @@ public function testIdempotentClientSupplied() {
         else
             $body = json_decode($body);
 
-        $this->assertEquals( $body->id, "foobar" );
+        $this->assertEquals( "foobar", $body->id);
 
         $channel->publish($msg);
         $messages = $channel->history();
-        $this->assertEquals(count($messages->items), 1);
+        $this->assertCount(1, $messages->items);
         $this->assertEquals($messages->items[0]->id, $msg->id);
     }
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public function testIdempotentMixedIds() {
         else
             $body = json_decode($body);
 
-        $this->assertEquals( $body[0]->id, "foobar" );
+        $this->assertEquals( "foobar", $body[0]->id);
         $this->assertFalse( property_exists($body[1], 'id') );
 
         $this->expectException(AblyRequestException::class);
@@ -180,10 +180,11 @@ public function testIdempotentLibraryGeneratedPublish() {
         $msg->name = 'name';
         $msg->data = 'data';
 
-        $body = $channel->publish( $msg );
+        $channel->publish( $msg );
 
         $messages = $channel->history();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count($messages->items));
+        sleep(2);
+        $this->assertCount(1, $messages->items);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ public function testIdempotentClientSuppliedPublish() {
         $body = $channel->publish( $msg );
 
         $messages = $channel->history();
-        $this->assertEquals( 1, count($messages->items));
+        $this->assertCount(1, $messages->items);
     }
 
 }