diff --git a/app/models/recurring_todo.rb b/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
index 2f6d623b..4a916c6d 100644
--- a/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ class RecurringTodo < ActiveRecord::Base
   validates_presence_of :description
   validates_presence_of :recurring_period
   validates_presence_of :target
-  validates_presence_of :recurring_period
   validates_presence_of :ends_on
   validates_presence_of :context
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/recurring_todos.yml b/test/fixtures/recurring_todos.yml
index db630d68..9597d674 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/recurring_todos.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/recurring_todos.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-<%
 
 def today
   Time.zone.now.beginning_of_day.to_s(:db)
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ call_bill_gates_every_day:
   description: Call Bill Gates every day
   notes: ~
   state: active
-  start_from: ~
+  start_from: <%= last_week %>
   ends_on: no_end_date
   end_date: ~
   number_of_occurences: ~
@@ -38,6 +37,7 @@ call_bill_gates_every_day:
   show_from_delta: ~
   recurring_period: daily
   recurrence_selector: ~
+  show_always: 0
   every_other1: 1
   every_other2: ~
   every_other3: ~
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ call_bill_gates_every_workday:
   number_of_occurences: ~
   target: due_date
   show_from_delta: ~
+  show_always: 0
   recurring_period: daily
   recurrence_selector: ~
   every_other1: 1
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ call_bill_gates_every_week:
   description: Call Bill Gates every week
   notes: ~
   state: active
-  start_from: ~
+  start_from: <%= today %>
   ends_on: no_end_date
   end_date: ~
   number_of_occurences: ~
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ call_bill_gates_every_week:
   show_from_delta: ~
   recurring_period: weekly
   recurrence_selector: ~
+  show_always: 0
   every_other1: 2
   every_other2: ~
   every_other3: ~
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ check_with_bill_every_last_friday_of_month:
   description: Check with Bill every last friday of the month
   notes: ~
   state: active
-  start_from: ~
+  start_from: <%= today %>
   ends_on: no_end_date
   end_date: ~
   number_of_occurences: ~
@@ -116,6 +118,7 @@ check_with_bill_every_last_friday_of_month:
   show_from_delta: 5
   recurring_period: monthly
   recurrence_selector: 1
+  show_always: 0
   every_other1: 1
   every_other2: 2
   every_other3: 5
@@ -134,12 +137,13 @@ birthday_reinier:
   description: Congratulate Reinier on his birthday
   notes: ~
   state: active
-  start_from: ~
+  start_from: <%= today %>
   ends_on: no_end_date
   end_date: ~
   number_of_occurences: ~
   target: due_date
   show_from_delta: 5
+  show_always: 0
   recurring_period: yearly
   recurrence_selector: 0
   every_other1: 8
diff --git a/test/functional/login_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/login_controller_test.rb
index 50da6ae8..051bb744 100644
--- a/test/functional/login_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/login_controller_test.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class LoginControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   def test_login_with_no_users_redirects_to_signup
     User.delete_all
     get :login
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => 'users', :action => 'new'
+    assert_redirected_to signup_url
   end
   
   def test_logout
diff --git a/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
index 394e72d7..ebe64ed0 100644
--- a/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class RecurringTodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       "recurring_period"=>"yearly",
       "recurring_show_days_before"=>"10",
       "recurring_target"=>"due_date",
+      "recurring_show_always" => "1",
       "start_from"=>"18/08/2008",
       "weekly_every_x_week"=>"1",
       "weekly_return_monday"=>"m",
@@ -110,6 +111,9 @@ class RecurringTodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @yearly.every_other1 = target_date.day
     @yearly.every_other2 = target_date.month
     @yearly.show_from_delta = 10
+#    unless @yearly.valid?
+#      @yearly.errors.each {|obj, error| puts error}
+#    end
     assert @yearly.save
     
     # toggle twice to force generation of new todo
@@ -155,6 +159,7 @@ class RecurringTodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       "recurring_period"=>"yearly",
       "recurring_show_days_before"=>"0",
       "recurring_target"=>"due_date",
+      "recurring_show_always" => "1",
       "start_from"=>"1/10/2012",  # adjust after 2012
       "weekly_every_x_week"=>"1",
       "weekly_return_monday"=>"w",
diff --git a/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
index 0035f291..ec93e728 100644
--- a/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -376,12 +376,16 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     # change recurrence pattern to monthly and set show_from 2 days before due
     # date this forces the next todo to be put in the tickler
     recurring_todo_1.show_from_delta = 2
+    recurring_todo_1.show_always = 0
+    recurring_todo_1.target = 'due_date'
     recurring_todo_1.recurring_period = 'monthly'
     recurring_todo_1.recurrence_selector = 0
     recurring_todo_1.every_other1 = 1
     recurring_todo_1.every_other2 = 2
     recurring_todo_1.every_other3 = 5
-    recurring_todo_1.save
+    # use assert to catch validation errors if present. we need to replace
+    # this with a good factory implementation
+    assert recurring_todo_1.save
 
     # mark next_todo as complete by toggle_check
     xhr :post, :toggle_check, :id => next_todo.id, :_source_view => 'todo'
@@ -416,7 +420,7 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     recurring_todo_1.recurrence_selector = 0
     recurring_todo_1.every_other1 = today.day
     recurring_todo_1.every_other2 = 1
-    recurring_todo_1.save
+    assert recurring_todo_1.save
 
     # mark todo_1 as complete by toggle_check, this gets rid of todo_1 that was
     # not correctly created from the adjusted recurring pattern we defined
diff --git a/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
index e53942cc..e20d9095 100644
--- a/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
@@ -154,19 +154,19 @@ class UsersControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   def test_create_with_invalid_password_redirects_to_new_user_page
     login_as :admin_user
     post :create, :user => {:login => 'newbie', :password => '', :password_confirmation => ''}
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => 'users', :action => 'new'    
+    assert_redirected_to signup_path
   end
   
   def test_create_with_invalid_login_does_not_add_a_new_user
     login_as :admin_user
     post :create, :user => {:login => 'n', :password => 'newbiepass', :password_confirmation => 'newbiepass'}
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => 'users', :action => 'new'    
+    assert_redirected_to signup_path
   end
   
   def test_create_with_invalid_login_redirects_to_new_user_page
     login_as :admin_user
     post :create, :user => {:login => 'n', :password => 'newbiepass', :password_confirmation => 'newbiepass'}
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => 'users', :action => 'new'    
+    assert_redirected_to signup_path
   end
   
   def test_create_with_duplicate_login_does_not_add_a_new_user
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class UsersControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   def test_create_with_duplicate_login_redirects_to_new_user_page
     login_as :admin_user
     post :create, :user => {:login => 'jane', :password => 'newbiepass', :password_confirmation => 'newbiepass'}
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => 'users', :action => 'new'    
+    assert_redirected_to signup_path
   end
   
 end