diff --git a/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestPub.cxx b/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestPub.cxx
index 96190b7f..fe7fc83a 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestPub.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestPub.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestPub.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,25 +21,37 @@ FairMQTestPub::FairMQTestPub()
 
 void FairMQTestPub::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> ready1Msg(NewMessage());
-    int r1 = Receive(ready1Msg, "control");
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> ready2Msg(NewMessage());
-    int r2 = Receive(ready2Msg, "control");
-
+    FairMQMessagePtr ready1(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr ready2(NewMessage());
+    int r1 = Receive(ready1, "control");
+    int r2 = Receive(ready2, "control");
     if (r1 >= 0 && r2 >= 0)
     {
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> msg(NewMessage());
-        Send(msg, "data");
+        LOG(INFO) << "Received both ready signals, proceeding to publish data";
 
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> ack1Msg(NewMessage());
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> ack2Msg(NewMessage());
-        if (Receive(ack1Msg, "control") >= 0)
+        FairMQMessagePtr msg(NewMessage());
+        int d1 = Send(msg, "data");
+        if (d1 < 0)
         {
-            if (Receive(ack2Msg, "control") >= 0)
-            {
-                LOG(INFO) << "PUB-SUB test successfull";
-            }
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Failed sending data: d1 = " << d1;
         }
+
+        FairMQMessagePtr ack1(NewMessage());
+        FairMQMessagePtr ack2(NewMessage());
+        int a1 = Receive(ack1, "control");
+        int a2 = Receive(ack2, "control");
+        if (a1 >= 0 && a2 >= 0)
+        {
+            LOG(INFO) << "PUB-SUB test successfull";
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Failed receiving ack signal: a1 = " << a1 << ", a2 = " << a2;
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Failed receiving ready signal: r1 = " << r1 << ", r2 = " << r2;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestSub.cxx b/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestSub.cxx
index 62ca406a..edc56db2 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestSub.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/pub-sub/FairMQTestSub.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestSub.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,18 +21,29 @@ FairMQTestSub::FairMQTestSub()
 
 void FairMQTestSub::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> readyMsg(NewMessage());
-    Send(readyMsg, "control");
-
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> msg(NewMessage());
-    if (Receive(msg, "data") >= 0)
+    FairMQMessagePtr ready(NewMessage());
+    int r1 = Send(ready, "control");
+    if (r1 >= 0)
     {
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> ackMsg(NewMessage());
-        Send(ackMsg, "control");
+        FairMQMessagePtr msg(NewMessage());
+        int d1 = Receive(msg, "data");
+        if (d1 >= 0)
+        {
+            FairMQMessagePtr ack(NewMessage());
+            int a1 = Send(ack, "control");
+            if (a1 < 0)
+            {
+                LOG(ERROR) << "Failed sending ack signal: a1 = " << a1;
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Failed receiving data: d1 = " << d1;
+        }
     }
     else
     {
-        LOG(ERROR) << "Test failed: size of the received message doesn't match. Expected: 0, Received: " << msg->GetSize();
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Failed sending ready signal: r1 = " << r1;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPull.cxx b/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPull.cxx
index b6e0077c..5bdefed7 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPull.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPull.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestPull.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ FairMQTestPull::FairMQTestPull()
 
 void FairMQTestPull::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> msg(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr msg(NewMessage());
 
     if (Receive(msg, "data") >= 0)
     {
diff --git a/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPush.cxx b/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPush.cxx
index 3c70d9b9..f90b1ba9 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPush.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/push-pull/FairMQTestPush.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestPush.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ FairMQTestPush::FairMQTestPush()
 
 void FairMQTestPush::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> msg(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr msg(NewMessage());
     Send(msg, "data");
 }
 
diff --git a/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestRep.cxx b/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestRep.cxx
index 16f4a198..2c94fd36 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestRep.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestRep.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestRep.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,18 +21,18 @@ FairMQTestRep::FairMQTestRep()
 
 void FairMQTestRep::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> request1(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr request1(NewMessage());
     if (Receive(request1, "data") >= 0)
     {
         LOG(INFO) << "Received request 1";
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> reply(NewMessage());
+        FairMQMessagePtr reply(NewMessage());
         Send(reply, "data");
     }
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> request2(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr request2(NewMessage());
     if (Receive(request2, "data") >= 0)
     {
         LOG(INFO) << "Received request 2";
-        std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> reply(NewMessage());
+        FairMQMessagePtr reply(NewMessage());
         Send(reply, "data");
     }
 
diff --git a/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestReq.cxx b/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestReq.cxx
index 1ed82cbc..8eb57db9 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestReq.cxx
+++ b/fairmq/test/req-rep/FairMQTestReq.cxx
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
  * @author A. Rybalchenko
  */
 
-#include <memory> // unique_ptr
-
 #include "FairMQTestReq.h"
 #include "FairMQLogger.h"
 
@@ -23,10 +21,10 @@ FairMQTestReq::FairMQTestReq()
 
 void FairMQTestReq::Run()
 {
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> request(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr request(NewMessage());
     Send(request, "data");
 
-    std::unique_ptr<FairMQMessage> reply(NewMessage());
+    FairMQMessagePtr reply(NewMessage());
     if (Receive(reply, "data") >= 0)
     {
         LOG(INFO) << "received reply";