diff --git a/.github/workflows/automated-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/automated-tests.yml
index a4b3f59b28..a9b594f53d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/automated-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/automated-tests.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,31 @@ jobs:
         run: make proto-check
       - name: Unit, integration and difference tests
         run: go test ./...
+  E2E_Tests:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          lfs: true
+      - name: Checkout LFS objects
+        run: git lfs checkout
+      - name: Setup Go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v4
+        with:
+          go-version: "1.20"
       - name: E2E tests
         run: make test-e2e-short
-      - name: E2E tests with CometMock
-        run: make test-e2e-short
+  Cometmock_Tests:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          lfs: true
+      - name: Checkout LFS objects
+        run: git lfs checkout
+      - name: Setup Go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v4
+        with:
+          go-version: "1.20"
+      - name: E2E tests
+        run: make test-e2e-short-cometmock
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b0d6f6ed47..7ab6a4fa24 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ test-diff:
 test-e2e-short:
 	go run ./tests/e2e/... --happy-path-only
 
-test-e2e-cometmock:
+# run only happy path E2E tests with cometmock
+# this set of traces does not test equivocation but it does check downtime
+test-e2e-short-cometmock:
 	go run ./tests/e2e/... --short-happy-path --use-cometmock --use-gorelayer
 
 # run full E2E tests in sequence (including multiconsumer)
diff --git a/tests/e2e/actions.go b/tests/e2e/actions.go
index e31221c628..1411d006b5 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/actions.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/actions.go
@@ -1848,7 +1848,7 @@ func (tr TestRun) assignConsumerPubKey(action assignConsumerPubKeyAction, verbos
 
 	if action.expectError {
 		if verbose {
-			fmt.Printf("got expected error during key assignment | err: %s \n", err.Error())
+			fmt.Printf("got expected error during key assignment | err: %s \n", err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/steps.go b/tests/e2e/steps.go
index aa08426103..e6044985c6 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/steps.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/steps.go
@@ -22,13 +22,10 @@ var happyPathSteps = concatSteps(
 	stepsRedelegateForOptOut("consu"),
 	stepsDowntimeWithOptOut("consu"),
 	stepsRedelegate("consu"),
-	stepsDowntime("consu"),
 	stepsRejectEquivocationProposal("consu", 2),   // prop to tombstone bob is rejected
 	stepsDoubleSignOnProviderAndConsumer("consu"), // carol double signs on provider, bob double signs on consumer
 	stepsSubmitEquivocationProposal("consu", 2),   // now prop to tombstone bob is submitted and accepted
-	stepsStartRelayer(),
-	stepsConsumerRemovalPropNotPassing("consu", 3), // submit removal prop but vote no on it - chain should stay
-	stepsStopChain("consu", 4),                     // stop chain
+	stepsStopChain("consu", 3),                    // stop chain
 )
 
 var shortHappyPathSteps = concatSteps(
diff --git a/tests/e2e/steps_double_sign.go b/tests/e2e/steps_double_sign.go
index c007fa5c1c..5068f7001d 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/steps_double_sign.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/steps_double_sign.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
-// Steps that make carol double sign on the provider, and bob double sign on a single consumer
+// Steps that make carol double sign on the provider, and bob double sign on a single consumer.
+// These steps happen after opt-out downtime traces have executed.
 func stepsDoubleSignOnProviderAndConsumer(consumerName string) []Step {
 	return []Step{
 		{
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ func stepsDoubleSignOnProviderAndConsumer(consumerName string) []Step {
 					ValPowers: &map[validatorID]uint{
 						validatorID("alice"): 509,
 						validatorID("bob"):   500,
-						validatorID("carol"): 495, // not tombstoned on consumerName yet
+						validatorID("carol"): 501, // not tombstoned on consumerName yet
 					},
 				},
 			},
diff --git a/tests/e2e/steps_submit_equivocation_proposal.go b/tests/e2e/steps_submit_equivocation_proposal.go
index 8af1d2464d..802e09a138 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/steps_submit_equivocation_proposal.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/steps_submit_equivocation_proposal.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func stepsRejectEquivocationProposal(consumerName string, propNumber uint) []Ste
 					ValPowers: &map[validatorID]uint{
 						validatorID("alice"): 509,
 						validatorID("bob"):   500,
-						validatorID("carol"): 495,
+						validatorID("carol"): 501,
 					},
 					ValBalances: &map[validatorID]uint{
 						validatorID("bob"): 9500000000,
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func stepsRejectEquivocationProposal(consumerName string, propNumber uint) []Ste
 					ValPowers: &map[validatorID]uint{
 						validatorID("alice"): 509,
 						validatorID("bob"):   500,
-						validatorID("carol"): 495,
+						validatorID("carol"): 501,
 					},
 				},
 			},