diff --git a/tests/cursor_lookback_contract.py b/tests/cursor_lookback_contract.py
index 6b48450..aaed911 100644
--- a/tests/cursor_lookback_contract.py
+++ b/tests/cursor_lookback_contract.py
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ if MODE == "default":
         length = int(headers["content-length"])
         body, _ = read_exact(connection, buffered, length)
         text = body.decode()
-        assert "subscribe: cursor too old" in text
-        assert "cursor 1 below lookback floor 2001" in text
+        # v2 rejections are XRPC JSON error envelopes with a structured name
+        err = json.loads(text)
+        assert err["error"] == "CursorTooOld", err
+        assert "cursor 1 is below the lookback floor 2001" in err["message"], err
     finally:
         connection.close()
 
@@ -96,8 +98,9 @@ elif MODE == "wide":
     try:
         assert status.startswith("HTTP/1.1 101")
         payload, _ = read_frame(connection, buffered)
-        event = json.loads(payload)
-        assert event["seq"] == 1
+        frame = json.loads(payload)
+        assert frame["$type"] == "message", frame
+        assert frame["payload"]["seq"] == 1, frame
     finally:
         connection.close()
 elif MODE == "disabled":
diff --git a/tests/powerloss_oracle.py b/tests/powerloss_oracle.py
index a4a8e60..a43eaaf 100644
--- a/tests/powerloss_oracle.py
+++ b/tests/powerloss_oracle.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ is active.
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import datetime
 import json
 import os
 import pathlib
@@ -478,8 +479,11 @@ async def verify_timestamp_import():
                 assert event.get("time") == IMPORTED_TIMESTAMP_RFC3339, event
                 targeted += 1
             elif materialization:
-                expected = 1_700_000_000_000_000 + event["seq"] * 1000
-                assert event.get("time_us") == expected, event
+                expected_us = 1_700_000_000_000_000 + event["seq"] * 1000
+                expected = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(
+                    expected_us / 1e6, datetime.UTC
+                ).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%fZ")
+                assert event.get("time") == expected, event
                 untouched += 1
     assert targeted > 0 and untouched > 0, (targeted, untouched)