diff --git a/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ArpCacheTest.java b/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ArpCacheTest.java
index 1668e4d..b6e5e86 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ArpCacheTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ArpCacheTest.java
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class ArpCacheTest {
+
+    static {
+        // configuration to quickly fall back to instance mode for faster test run
+        System.setProperty("net.onrc.onos.core.datastore.hazelcast.client.attemptLimit", "0");
+    }
+
     ArpCache arpCache;
     InetAddress ip1, ip2;
     MACAddress mac, mac2;
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ProxyArpManagerTest.java b/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ProxyArpManagerTest.java
index 60b32a1..fe64c9e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ProxyArpManagerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/onrc/onos/apps/proxyarp/ProxyArpManagerTest.java
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@
 //@PrepareOnlyThisForTest({ ProxyArpManager.class })
 @SuppressWarnings({ "rawtypes", "unchecked" })
 public class ProxyArpManagerTest {
+
+    static {
+        // configuration to quickly fall back to instance mode for faster test run
+        System.setProperty("net.onrc.onos.core.datastore.hazelcast.client.attemptLimit", "0");
+    }
+
     String defaultStrAgingMsec = "60000";
     String defaultStrCleanupMsec = "60000";