diff --git a/doublethink/services.py b/doublethink/services.py
index aeca2d2..e646998 100644
--- a/doublethink/services.py
+++ b/doublethink/services.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import rethinkdb as r
 import logging
 import socket
 import os
+import doublethink
 
 class ServiceRegistry(object):
     '''
@@ -219,6 +220,8 @@ class ServiceRegistry(object):
             the unique service, if there is one and it is healthy, otherwise
             None
         '''
+        # use the same concept of 'now' for all queries 
+        now = doublethink.utcnow()
         if candidate is not None:
             candidate['id'] = role
 
@@ -230,8 +233,8 @@ class ServiceRegistry(object):
             if not (isinstance(val, float) or isinstance(val, int)) or val <= 0:
                 raise Exception('"ttl" must be a number > 0')
 
-            candidate['first_heartbeat'] = r.now()
-            candidate['last_heartbeat'] = r.now()
+            candidate['first_heartbeat'] = now
+            candidate['last_heartbeat'] = now
             if not 'host' in candidate:
                 candidate['host'] = socket.gethostname()
             if not 'pid' in candidate:
@@ -242,7 +245,7 @@ class ServiceRegistry(object):
                             lambda row: r.branch(
                                 r.branch(
                                     row,
-                                    row['last_heartbeat'] > r.now() - row['ttl'],
+                                    row['last_heartbeat'] > now - row['ttl'],
                                     False),
                                 row, candidate),
                             return_changes='always').run()
@@ -255,7 +258,7 @@ class ServiceRegistry(object):
 
         results = list(self.rr.table(
             'services', read_mode='majority').get_all(role).filter(
-                lambda row: row['last_heartbeat'] > r.now() - row['ttl']).run())
+                lambda row: row['last_heartbeat'] > now - row['ttl']).run())
         if results:
             return results[0]
         else:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index fc894e1..e087f1a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import codecs
 
 setuptools.setup(
     name='doublethink',
-    version='0.2.0.dev78',
+    version='0.2.0.dev79',
     packages=['doublethink'],
     classifiers=[
         'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7',
diff --git a/tests/run-tests.sh b/tests/run-tests.sh
index 72059c8..78464ba 100755
--- a/tests/run-tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run-tests.sh
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ do
                 && virtualenv -p $python /tmp/venv \
                 && source /tmp/venv/bin/activate \
                 && pip install pytest . \
-                && py.test -v -s tests"
+                && py.test -v tests"
 done