diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/admin/test_networks.py b/tempest/api/compute/admin/test_networks.py
index fb6376e..d7fb62d 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/admin/test_networks.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/admin/test_networks.py
@@ -64,5 +64,5 @@
             configured_network = CONF.compute.fixed_network_name
             self.assertIn(configured_network, [x['label'] for x in networks])
         else:
-            network_labels = [x['label'] for x in networks]
-            self.assertNotEmpty(network_labels)
+            raise self.skipException(
+                "Environment has no known-for-sure existing network.")
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/manager.py b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
index 20495ee..b4ba643 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/manager.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
@@ -1659,7 +1659,8 @@
 
     def create_encrypted_volume(self, encryption_provider, volume_type,
                                 key_size=256, cipher='aes-xts-plain64',
-                                control_location='front-end'):
+                                control_location='front-end',
+                                wait_until='available'):
         """Creates an encrypted volume"""
         volume_type = self.create_volume_type(name=volume_type)
         self.create_encryption_type(type_id=volume_type['id'],
@@ -1667,7 +1668,8 @@
                                     key_size=key_size,
                                     cipher=cipher,
                                     control_location=control_location)
-        return self.create_volume(volume_type=volume_type['name'])
+        return self.create_volume(volume_type=volume_type['name'],
+                                  wait_until=wait_until)
 
 
 class ObjectStorageScenarioTest(ScenarioTest):
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_encrypted_cinder_volumes.py b/tempest/scenario/test_encrypted_cinder_volumes.py
index 60abc02..753e64f 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_encrypted_cinder_volumes.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_encrypted_cinder_volumes.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import testtools
 
 from tempest.common import utils
+from tempest.common import waiters
 from tempest import config
 from tempest.lib import decorators
 from tempest.scenario import manager
@@ -56,9 +57,16 @@
     @utils.services('compute', 'volume', 'image')
     def test_encrypted_cinder_volumes_luks(self):
         """LUKs v1 decrypts volume through libvirt."""
-        server = self.launch_instance()
         volume = self.create_encrypted_volume('luks',
-                                              volume_type='luks')
+                                              volume_type='luks',
+                                              wait_until=None)
+        server = self.launch_instance()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume['id'])['volume']
+
         self.attach_detach_volume(server, volume)
 
     @decorators.idempotent_id('7abec0a3-61a0-42a5-9e36-ad3138fb38b4')
@@ -68,16 +76,30 @@
     @utils.services('compute', 'volume', 'image')
     def test_encrypted_cinder_volumes_luksv2(self):
         """LUKs v2 decrypts volume through os-brick."""
-        server = self.launch_instance()
         volume = self.create_encrypted_volume('luks2',
-                                              volume_type='luksv2')
+                                              volume_type='luksv2',
+                                              wait_until=None)
+        server = self.launch_instance()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume['id'])['volume']
+
         self.attach_detach_volume(server, volume)
 
     @decorators.idempotent_id('cbc752ed-b716-4717-910f-956cce965722')
     @decorators.attr(type='slow')
     @utils.services('compute', 'volume', 'image')
     def test_encrypted_cinder_volumes_cryptsetup(self):
-        server = self.launch_instance()
         volume = self.create_encrypted_volume('plain',
-                                              volume_type='cryptsetup')
+                                              volume_type='cryptsetup',
+                                              wait_until=None)
+        server = self.launch_instance()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume['id'])['volume']
+
         self.attach_detach_volume(server, volume)
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_server_multinode.py b/tempest/scenario/test_server_multinode.py
index 023ad70..fe85234 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_server_multinode.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_server_multinode.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 from tempest.common import utils
+from tempest.common import waiters
 from tempest import config
 from tempest.lib import decorators
 from tempest.lib import exceptions
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@
         # threshold (so that things don't get crazy if you have 1000
         # compute nodes but set min to 3).
         servers = []
+        host_server_ids = {}
 
         for host in hosts[:CONF.compute.min_compute_nodes]:
             # by getting to active state here, this means this has
@@ -68,12 +70,18 @@
             # in order to use the availability_zone:host scheduler hint,
             # admin client is need here.
             inst = self.create_server(
+                wait_until=None,
                 clients=self.os_admin,
                 availability_zone='%(zone)s:%(host_name)s' % host)
+            host_server_ids[host['host_name']] = inst['id']
+
+        for host_name, server_id in host_server_ids.items():
+            waiters.wait_for_server_status(self.os_admin.servers_client,
+                                           server_id, 'ACTIVE')
             server = self.os_admin.servers_client.show_server(
-                inst['id'])['server']
+                server_id)['server']
             # ensure server is located on the requested host
-            self.assertEqual(host['host_name'], server['OS-EXT-SRV-ATTR:host'])
+            self.assertEqual(host_name, server['OS-EXT-SRV-ATTR:host'])
             servers.append(server)
 
         # make sure we really have the number of servers we think we should
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_server_volume_attachment.py b/tempest/scenario/test_server_volume_attachment.py
index cc8cf00..1d0d0d0 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_server_volume_attachment.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_server_volume_attachment.py
@@ -69,11 +69,18 @@
     @utils.services('compute', 'volume', 'image', 'network')
     def test_server_detach_rules(self):
         """Test that various methods of detaching a volume honors the rules"""
+        volume = self.create_volume(wait_until=None)
+        volume2 = self.create_volume(wait_until=None)
+
         server = self.create_server(wait_until='SSHABLE')
         servers = self.servers_client.list_servers()['servers']
         self.assertIn(server['id'], [x['id'] for x in servers])
 
-        volume = self.create_volume()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume['id'])['volume']
 
         volume = self.nova_volume_attach(server, volume)
         self.addCleanup(self.nova_volume_detach, server, volume)
@@ -143,7 +150,12 @@
                 volume['id'], connector=None, attachment_id=att_id)
 
         # Test user call to detach with mismatch is rejected
-        volume2 = self.create_volume()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume2['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume2 = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume2['id'])['volume']
+
         volume2 = self.nova_volume_attach(server, volume2)
         att_id2 = volume2['attachments'][0]['attachment_id']
         self.assertRaises(
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_stamp_pattern.py b/tempest/scenario/test_stamp_pattern.py
index 4b81b9e..82f0341 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_stamp_pattern.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_stamp_pattern.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import testtools
 
 from tempest.common import utils
+from tempest.common import waiters
 from tempest import config
 from tempest.lib.common.utils import test_utils
 from tempest.lib import decorators
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@
         security_group = self.create_security_group()
 
         # boot an instance and create a timestamp file in it
-        volume = self.create_volume()
+        volume = self.create_volume(wait_until=None)
         server = self.create_server(
             key_name=keypair['name'],
             security_groups=[{'name': security_group['name']}])
@@ -97,6 +98,12 @@
             ip_for_server, private_key=keypair['private_key'],
             server=server)
         disks_list_before_attach = linux_client.list_disks()
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume['id'], 'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume = self.volumes_client.show_volume(volume['id'])['volume']
+
         self.nova_volume_attach(server, volume)
         volume_device_name = self._attached_volume_name(
             disks_list_before_attach, ip_for_server, keypair['private_key'])
@@ -115,7 +122,7 @@
 
         # create second volume from the snapshot(volume2)
         volume_from_snapshot = self.create_volume(
-            snapshot_id=volume_snapshot['id'])
+            snapshot_id=volume_snapshot['id'], wait_until=None)
 
         # boot second instance from the snapshot(instance2)
         server_from_snapshot = self.create_server(
@@ -135,6 +142,14 @@
         disks_list_before_attach = linux_client.list_disks()
 
         # attach volume2 to instance2
+        waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
+                                                volume_from_snapshot['id'],
+                                                'available')
+        # The volume retrieved on creation has a non-up-to-date status.
+        # Retrieval after it becomes active ensures correct details.
+        volume_from_snapshot = self.volumes_client.show_volume(
+            volume_from_snapshot['id'])['volume']
+
         self.nova_volume_attach(server_from_snapshot, volume_from_snapshot)
         volume_device_name = self._attached_volume_name(
             disks_list_before_attach, ip_for_snapshot, keypair['private_key'])
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 47ef5eb..027442a 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -328,10 +328,15 @@
 setenv = {[tempestenv]setenv}
 deps = {[tempestenv]deps}
 # The regex below is used to select the slow tagged tests:
-regex = '\[.*\bslow\b.*\]'
+regex1 = '(.*\[.*\bslow\b.*\])'
+regex2 = 'test_port_security_macspoofing_port'
+# The regex below is used to run slow test in parallel except
+# test_port_security_macspoofing_port which fail many times
+# while running in parallel
 commands =
     find . -type f -name "*.pyc" -delete
-    tempest run --regex {[testenv:slow]regex} {posargs}
+    tempest run --regex {[testenv:slow]regex1} --exclude-regex {[testenv:slow]regex2} {posargs}
+    tempest run --combine --serial --regex {[testenv:slow]regex2} {posargs}
 
 [testenv:multinode]
 envdir = .tox/tempest