diff --git a/tests/functional/harris/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/functional/harris/CMakeLists.txt
index afaf7b4d8..0c11d8b2b 100644
--- a/tests/functional/harris/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/functional/harris/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ if(NOT ${PHARE_PROJECT_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
 endif()
 
 if(HighFive AND testMPI)
+
   ## These test use dump diagnostics so require HighFive!
-  # exec level 11
-  # mpirun -n 10
+
   if(testMPI)
-    phare_mpi_python3_exec(11 10 harris_2d harris_2d.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+    phare_mpi_python3_exec(11 4 harris_2d harris_2d.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
   endif(testMPI)
+
 endif()
diff --git a/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d.py b/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d.py
index b9f06ced4..67725dabe 100644
--- a/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d.py
+++ b/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d.py
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
 
 def config():
     sim = ph.Simulation(
-        smallest_patch_size=15,
-        largest_patch_size=25,
         time_step_nbr=time_step_nbr,
         time_step=time_step,
         # boundary_types="periodic",
@@ -155,13 +153,6 @@ def vthz(x, y):
 
 def main():
     Simulator(config()).run()
-    try:
-        from tools.python3 import plotting as m_plotting
-
-        m_plotting.plot_run_timer_data(diag_outputs, cpp.mpi_rank())
-    except ImportError:
-        print("Phlop not found - install with: `pip install phlop`")
-    cpp.mpi_barrier()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tests/simulator/refinement/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/simulator/refinement/CMakeLists.txt
index d411a11e0..31772ce5d 100644
--- a/tests/simulator/refinement/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/simulator/refinement/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ if(HighFive)
   ## These test use dump diagnostics so require HighFive!
   if(testMPI)
 
-
+    # disabled due to https://github.com/PHAREHUB/PHARE/issues/853
     # phare_mpi_python3_exec(11 10 complex_2d_refinement test_2d_10_core.py  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+
   endif(testMPI)
 
   phare_python3_exec(9 simple_2d_refinement test_2d_2_core.py  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})