diff --git a/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_empty.py b/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_empty.py
index 39fd126..99b5c01 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_empty.py
+++ b/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_empty.py
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+from tcp_tests import settings
 from tcp_tests import settings_oslo
+from tcp_tests import logger
+
+LOG = logger.logger
 
 
 class EnvironmentManagerEmpty(object):
@@ -40,6 +44,12 @@
         - Store the state of the environment <name> to the 'config' object
         - Save 'config' object to a file 'config_<name>.ini'
         """
+        if not settings.MAKE_SNAPSHOT_STAGES:
+            msg = ("[ SKIP snapshot '{0}' because MAKE_SNAPSHOT_STAGES=false ]"
+                   .format(name))
+            LOG.info("\n\n{0}\n{1}".format(msg, '*' * len(msg)))
+            return
+
         self.__config.hardware.current_snapshot = name
         settings_oslo.save_config(self.__config, name)
 
diff --git a/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_heat.py b/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_heat.py
index d6d7e90..9ee26a6 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_heat.py
+++ b/tcp_tests/managers/envmanager_heat.py
@@ -389,6 +389,12 @@
 
         :name: string
         """
+        if not settings.MAKE_SNAPSHOT_STAGES:
+            msg = ("[ SKIP snapshot '{0}' because MAKE_SNAPSHOT_STAGES=false ]"
+                   .format(name))
+            LOG.info("\n\n{0}\n{1}".format(msg, '*' * len(msg)))
+            return
+
         LOG.info("Store INI config (without env snapshot) named '{0}'"
                  .format(name))
         self.__config.hardware.current_snapshot = name
diff --git a/tcp_tests/managers/saltmanager.py b/tcp_tests/managers/saltmanager.py
index 617323a..b2abdce 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/managers/saltmanager.py
+++ b/tcp_tests/managers/saltmanager.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
         result = self.local(tgt=tgt, fun='cmd.run', args=cmd)
         return result['return']
 
-    @utils.retry(3, exception=libpepper.PepperException)
+    @utils.retry(10, exception=libpepper.PepperException)
     def sync_time(self, tgt='*'):
         LOG.info("NTP time sync on the salt minions '{0}'".format(tgt))
         # Force authentication update on the next API access
@@ -297,6 +297,8 @@
                    '  touch /tmp/maas-proxy.work;'
                    'fi;'
                    'sleep 3;'
+                   # note: maas-rackd will return 'pool' after start
+                   'sed -i \'s/^pool /server /g\' /etc/ntp/maas.conf;'
                    'if [ -x /usr/sbin/ntpdate ]; then'
                    '  ntpdate -s ntp.ubuntu.com;'
                    'else'
@@ -311,7 +313,7 @@
                    '  systemctl start maas-regiond; fi;')
             self.run_state(
                 tgt,
-                'cmd.run', cmd, timeout=3600)  # noqa
+                'cmd.run', cmd, timeout=360)  # noqa
         new_time_res = self.run_state(tgt, 'cmd.run', 'date')
         for node_name, time in sorted(new_time_res[0]['return'][0].items()):
             LOG.info("{0}: {1}".format(node_name, time))
diff --git a/tcp_tests/tests/system/test_k8s_actions.py b/tcp_tests/tests/system/test_k8s_actions.py
index c93e152..c6d61dd 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/tests/system/test_k8s_actions.py
+++ b/tcp_tests/tests/system/test_k8s_actions.py
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
     @pytest.mark.k8s_genie
     @pytest.mark.k8s_system
     def test_k8s_genie_flannel(self, show_step, config,
-                               salt_deployed, k8s_deployed):
+                               salt_actions, k8s_deployed):
         """Test genie-cni+flannel cni setup
 
         Scenario:
@@ -228,15 +228,15 @@
         # Find out calico and flannel networks
         tgt_k8s_control = "I@kubernetes:master"
 
-        flannel_pillar = salt_deployed.get_pillar(
+        flannel_pillar = salt_actions.get_pillar(
             tgt=tgt_k8s_control,
             pillar="kubernetes:master:network:flannel:private_ip_range")[0]
         flannel_network = netaddr.IPNetwork(flannel_pillar.values()[0])
         LOG.info("Flannel network: {}".format(flannel_network))
 
-        calico_network_pillar = salt_deployed.get_pillar(
+        calico_network_pillar = salt_actions.get_pillar(
             tgt=tgt_k8s_control, pillar="_param:calico_private_network")[0]
-        calico_netmask_pillar = salt_deployed.get_pillar(
+        calico_netmask_pillar = salt_actions.get_pillar(
             tgt=tgt_k8s_control, pillar="_param:calico_private_netmask")[0]
         calico_network = netaddr.IPNetwork(
             "{0}/{1}".format(calico_network_pillar.values()[0],
@@ -322,8 +322,7 @@
     @pytest.mark.fail_snapshot
     @pytest.mark.k8s_dashboard
     @pytest.mark.k8s_system
-    def test_k8s_dashboard(self, show_step, config,
-                           salt_deployed, k8s_deployed):
+    def test_k8s_dashboard(self, show_step, config, k8s_deployed):
         """Test dashboard setup
 
         Scenario:
@@ -399,8 +398,7 @@
     @pytest.mark.fail_snapshot
     @pytest.mark.k8s_ingress_nginx
     @pytest.mark.k8s_system
-    def test_k8s_ingress_nginx(self, show_step, config,
-                               salt_deployed, k8s_deployed):
+    def test_k8s_ingress_nginx(self, show_step, config, k8s_deployed):
         """Test ingress-nginx configured and working with metallb
 
         Scenario:
@@ -471,7 +469,7 @@
     @pytest.mark.grab_versions
     @pytest.mark.fail_snapshot
     def test_k8s_cicd_upgrade(self, show_step, config,
-                              salt_deployed, k8s_deployed):
+                              salt_actions, k8s_deployed):
         """Test k8s upgrade cicd pipeline
 
         Scenario:
@@ -480,10 +478,10 @@
             3. Wait for job to end
         """
         show_step(1)
-        jenkins_info = salt_deployed.get_pillar(
+        jenkins_info = salt_actions.get_pillar(
             tgt='cid*1*', pillar="jenkins:client:master")[0].values()[0]
 
-        salt_api = salt_deployed.get_pillar(
+        salt_api = salt_actions.get_pillar(
             tgt='cid*1*', pillar="_param:jenkins_salt_api_url")[0].values()[0]
 
         show_step(2)