diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_group_rules.py b/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_group_rules.py
index b28124c..901c377 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_group_rules.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_group_rules.py
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@
         cls.client = cls.security_groups_client
         cls.neutron_available = CONF.service_available.neutron
 
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(self):
+        super(SecurityGroupRulesTestJSON, self).setUpClass()
+        self.ip_protocol = 'tcp'
+        self.from_port = 22
+        self.to_port = 22
+
     @test.attr(type='smoke')
     @test.services('network')
     def test_security_group_rules_create(self):
@@ -37,14 +44,11 @@
         resp, security_group = self.create_security_group()
         securitygroup_id = security_group['id']
         # Adding rules to the created Security Group
-        ip_protocol = 'tcp'
-        from_port = 22
-        to_port = 22
         resp, rule = \
             self.client.create_security_group_rule(securitygroup_id,
-                                                   ip_protocol,
-                                                   from_port,
-                                                   to_port)
+                                                   self.ip_protocol,
+                                                   self.from_port,
+                                                   self.to_port)
         self.addCleanup(self.client.delete_security_group_rule, rule['id'])
         self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
 
@@ -65,16 +69,13 @@
         secgroup2 = security_group['id']
         # Adding rules to the created Security Group with optional arguments
         parent_group_id = secgroup1
-        ip_protocol = 'tcp'
-        from_port = 22
-        to_port = 22
         cidr = '10.2.3.124/24'
         group_id = secgroup2
         resp, rule = \
             self.client.create_security_group_rule(parent_group_id,
-                                                   ip_protocol,
-                                                   from_port,
-                                                   to_port,
+                                                   self.ip_protocol,
+                                                   self.from_port,
+                                                   self.to_port,
                                                    cidr=cidr,
                                                    group_id=group_id)
         self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
@@ -89,13 +90,11 @@
         securitygroup_id = security_group['id']
 
         # Add a first rule to the created Security Group
-        ip_protocol1 = 'tcp'
-        from_port1 = 22
-        to_port1 = 22
         resp, rule = \
             self.client.create_security_group_rule(securitygroup_id,
-                                                   ip_protocol1,
-                                                   from_port1, to_port1)
+                                                   self.ip_protocol,
+                                                   self.from_port,
+                                                   self.to_port)
         rule1_id = rule['id']
 
         # Add a second rule to the created Security Group
@@ -127,14 +126,11 @@
         resp, security_group = self.create_security_group()
         sg2_id = security_group['id']
         # Adding rules to the Group1
-        ip_protocol = 'tcp'
-        from_port = 22
-        to_port = 22
         resp, rule = \
             self.client.create_security_group_rule(sg1_id,
-                                                   ip_protocol,
-                                                   from_port,
-                                                   to_port,
+                                                   self.ip_protocol,
+                                                   self.from_port,
+                                                   self.to_port,
                                                    group_id=sg2_id)
 
         self.assertEqual(200, resp.status)
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index cea9dec..174a895 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -1141,8 +1141,10 @@
         # to remove an issue with the config file up to date checker.
         if parse_conf:
             config_files.append(path)
-
-        cfg.CONF([], project='tempest', default_config_files=config_files)
+        if os.path.isfile(path):
+            cfg.CONF([], project='tempest', default_config_files=config_files)
+        else:
+            cfg.CONF([], project='tempest')
         logging.setup('tempest')
         LOG = logging.getLogger('tempest')
         LOG.info("Using tempest config file %s" % path)
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_load_balancer_basic.py b/tempest/scenario/test_load_balancer_basic.py
index 73277da..21680c2 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_load_balancer_basic.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_load_balancer_basic.py
@@ -38,9 +38,8 @@
     2. SSH to the instance and start two servers
     3. Create a load balancer with two members and with ROUND_ROBIN algorithm
        associate the VIP with a floating ip
-    4. Send 10 requests to the floating ip and check that they are shared
-       between the two servers and that both of them get equal portions
-    of the requests
+    4. Send NUM requests to the floating ip and check that they are shared
+       between the two servers.
     """
 
     @classmethod
@@ -67,6 +66,7 @@
         cls.server_ips = {}
         cls.port1 = 80
         cls.port2 = 88
+        cls.num = 50
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestLoadBalancerBasic, self).setUp()
@@ -287,26 +287,21 @@
 
     def _check_load_balancing(self):
         """
-        1. Send 10 requests on the floating ip associated with the VIP
-        2. Check that the requests are shared between
-           the two servers and that both of them get equal portions
-           of the requests
+        1. Send NUM requests on the floating ip associated with the VIP
+        2. Check that the requests are shared between the two servers
         """
 
         self._check_connection(self.vip_ip)
-        self._send_requests(self.vip_ip, set(["server1", "server2"]))
+        self._send_requests(self.vip_ip, ["server1", "server2"])
 
-    def _send_requests(self, vip_ip, expected, num_req=10):
-        count = 0
-        while count < num_req:
-            resp = []
-            for i in range(len(self.members)):
-                resp.append(
-                    urllib2.urlopen(
-                        "http://{0}/".format(vip_ip)).read())
-            count += 1
-            self.assertEqual(expected,
-                             set(resp))
+    def _send_requests(self, vip_ip, servers):
+        counters = dict.fromkeys(servers, 0)
+        for i in range(self.num):
+            server = urllib2.urlopen("http://{0}/".format(vip_ip)).read()
+            counters[server] += 1
+        # Assert that each member of the pool gets balanced at least once
+        for member, counter in counters.iteritems():
+            self.assertGreater(counter, 0, 'Member %s never balanced' % member)
 
     @test.services('compute', 'network')
     def test_load_balancer_basic(self):
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py b/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
index b38b1a3..eb636f7 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@
      * Create a security group to control network access in instance
      * Add simple permissive rules to the security group
      * Launch an instance
-     * Pause/unpause the instance
-     * Suspend/resume the instance
+     * Perform ssh to instance
      * Terminate the instance
     """