diff --git a/test/auction.test.ts b/test/auction.test.ts
index d0b41ed..92c12b8 100644
--- a/test/auction.test.ts
+++ b/test/auction.test.ts
@@ -1,39 +1,47 @@
-import {cliTest,createAuthority} from './helper';
+import {cliTest,createAuthority, getAuctionId} from './helper';
 
 jest.setTimeout(3 * 60 * 1000);
 
 const args= "auction ";
 const quantity=25000000
 const type="aphoton"
+const name="laconic-auction"
 
 
 var auctionId: string;
 var filepath: string;
 
-describe("test auction",() => {
-    beforeAll(async () => {
-        // get auction id   
-        auctionId = createAuthority("laconic-auction")
+if (!process.env.TEST_AUCTIONS_ENABLED) {
+    // Required as jest complains if file has no tests.
+    test('skipping auction tests', () => {});
+  } else {
+    describe("test auction",() => {
+        beforeAll(async () => {
+            // reserve authority
+           createAuthority(name)
+           auctionId = getAuctionId(name)
+        });
+    
+        it("bid commit",async ()=>{
+            const resp=cliTest(args+"bid commit "+auctionId+" "+quantity+" "+type);
+            expect(resp).toBeDefined;
+    
+            filepath = resp.reveal_file
+        });
+    
+        it("Wait for reveal phase.", (done) => {
+            setTimeout(done, 60 * 1000);
+        });
+    
+        it("bid reveal", async ()=>{
+            const resp=cliTest(args+"bid reveal "+auctionId+" "+filepath);
+            expect(resp).toBeDefined;
+        });
+    
+        it("get auction",async ()=>{
+            const resp=cliTest(args+"get "+auctionId);
+            expect(resp).toBeDefined;
+        });
     });
+  }
 
-    it("bid commit",async ()=>{
-        const resp=cliTest(args+"bid commit "+auctionId+" "+quantity+" "+type);
-        expect(resp).toBeDefined;
-
-        filepath = "."+resp.substring(resp.indexOf("/out/"))
-    });
-
-    it("Wait for reveal phase.", (done) => {
-        setTimeout(done, 60 * 1000);
-    });
-
-    it("bid reveal", async ()=>{
-        const resp=JSON.parse(cliTest(args+"bid reveal "+auctionId+" "+filepath));
-        expect(resp).toBeDefined;
-    });
-
-    it("get auction",async ()=>{
-        const resp=JSON.parse(cliTest(args+"get "+auctionId));
-        expect(resp).toBeDefined;
-    });
-});
\ No newline at end of file