diff --git a/pymc3/tests/test_smc.py b/pymc3/tests/test_smc.py
index 09688dd9959..882387b3fe3 100644
--- a/pymc3/tests/test_smc.py
+++ b/pymc3/tests/test_smc.py
@@ -229,32 +229,29 @@ def abs_diff(eps, obs_data, sim_data):
 
     def test_one_gaussian(self):
         with self.SMABC_test:
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=1000)
+            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=1000, chains=2, cores=1, return_inferencedata=False)
+            pr_p = pm.sample_prior_predictive(1000)
+            po_p = pm.sample_posterior_predictive(trace, 1000)
 
         assert abs(self.data.mean() - trace["a"].mean()) < 0.05
         assert abs(self.data.std() - trace["b"].mean()) < 0.05
 
-    def test_sim_data_ppc(self):
-        with self.SMABC_test:
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=1000, chains=1)
-            pr_p = pm.sample_prior_predictive(1000)
-            po_p = pm.sample_posterior_predictive(trace, 1000)
-
         assert pr_p["s"].shape == (1000, 1000)
-        assert abs(0 - pr_p["s"].mean()) < 0.05
-        assert abs(1.4 - pr_p["s"].std()) < 0.05
+        assert abs(0 - pr_p["s"].mean()) < 0.10
+        assert abs(1.4 - pr_p["s"].std()) < 0.10
+
         assert po_p["s"].shape == (1000, 1000)
-        assert abs(0 - po_p["s"].mean()) < 0.05
-        assert abs(1 - po_p["s"].std()) < 0.05
+        assert abs(self.data.mean() - po_p["s"].mean()) < 0.10
+        assert abs(self.data.std() - po_p["s"].std()) < 0.10
 
     def test_custom_dist_sum(self):
         with self.SMABC_test2:
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=100)
+            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=100, chains=1)
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(reason="standard SMC is failing with Potentials")
+    @pytest.mark.xfail(reason="Potential is failing in SMC")
     def test_potential(self):
         with self.SMABC_potential:
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=1000)
+            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=1000, chains=1)
             assert np.all(trace["a"] >= 0)
 
     @pytest.mark.xfail(reason="KL not refactored")
@@ -281,7 +278,7 @@ def test_repr_latex(self):
     def test_name_is_string_type(self):
         with self.SMABC_potential:
             assert not self.SMABC_potential.name
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=10, kernel="SMC")
+            trace = pm.sample_smc(draws=10, cores=1)
             assert isinstance(trace._straces[0].name, str)
 
     def test_named_models_are_unsupported(self):
@@ -339,7 +336,7 @@ def fn(rng, a, size):
                 observed=data2,
             )
 
-            trace = pm.sample_smc(chains=1)
+            trace = pm.sample_smc(chains=1, return_inferencedata=False)
 
         assert abs(true_a - trace["a"].mean()) < 0.05
         assert abs(true_b - trace["b"].mean()) < 0.05