diff --git a/.ci/run_tests.sh b/.ci/run_tests.sh
index c041d493..aace3bbf 100755
--- a/.ci/run_tests.sh
+++ b/.ci/run_tests.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -e
 
 if [ "$OPENRESTY_TESTS" != "yes" ]; then
   make lint
-  busted -v --coverage -o gtest
+  busted -v --coverage -o gtest --repeat 3
   luacov-coveralls -i cassandra
 else
   prove -l t
diff --git a/spec/integration/cassandra_spec.lua b/spec/integration/cassandra_spec.lua
index 9c2b57f5..aa239b7b 100644
--- a/spec/integration/cassandra_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/integration/cassandra_spec.lua
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe("spawn_session()", function()
   describe("execute()", function()
     after_each(function()
       -- drop keyspace in case tests failed
-      session:execute("DROP KEYSPACE resty_cassandra_spec")
+      spec_utils.drop_keyspace(session, "resty_cassandra_spec")
     end)
     it("should require argument #1 to be a string", function()
       assert.has_error(function()
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ describe("spawn_session()", function()
         assert.falsy(err)
 
         _, err = session:execute [[
-          CREATE TABLE resty_cassandra_spec.fixture_table(
+          CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS resty_cassandra_spec.fixture_table(
             id uuid PRIMARY KEY,
             value varchar
           )
diff --git a/spec/spec_utils.lua b/spec/spec_utils.lua
index 0108cae5..1dddc8a1 100644
--- a/spec/spec_utils.lua
+++ b/spec/spec_utils.lua
@@ -25,11 +25,7 @@ function _M.create_keyspace(session, keyspace)
 end
 
 function _M.drop_keyspace(session, keyspace)
-  local res, err = session:execute("DROP KEYSPACE "..keyspace)
-  if err then
-    error(err)
-  end
-  return res
+  session:execute("DROP KEYSPACE "..keyspace)
 end
 
 local delta = 0.0000001