diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index c1c5fc38..b2ba4d0f 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -60,19 +60,19 @@ def ndjson_points_file_str(ndjson_points1_str: str) -> str:
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def daa_old(ndjson_points1: str) -> dak.Array:
+def daa(ndjson_points1: str) -> dak.Array:
     return dak.from_json([ndjson_points1] * 3)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def pq_points_dir(daa_old: dak.Array, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) -> str:
+def pq_points_dir(daa: dak.Array, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) -> str:
     pqdir = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("pqfiles")
-    dak.to_parquet(daa_old, str(pqdir))
+    dak.to_parquet(daa, str(pqdir))
     return str(pqdir)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def daa(pq_points_dir: str) -> dak.Array:
+def daa_parquet(pq_points_dir: str) -> dak.Array:
     return dak.from_parquet(pq_points_dir)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index e23766f1..b6030409 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ def test_clear_divisions(ndjson_points_file: str) -> None:
     assert not daa.known_divisions
 
 
-def test_dunder_str(daa: Array) -> None:
-    assert str(daa) == "dask.awkward<from-parquet, npartitions=3>"
+def test_dunder_str(caa: ak.Array) -> None:
+    daa = dak.from_awkward(caa, npartitions=2)
+    assert str(daa) == "dask.awkward<from-awkward, npartitions=2>"
 
 
 def test_calculate_known_divisions(ndjson_points_file: str) -> None:
@@ -820,6 +821,7 @@ def test_map_partitions_no_dask_collections_passed(caa):
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("fn", [dak.count, dak.zeros_like, dak.ones_like])
 def test_shape_only_ops(fn: Callable, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) -> None:
+    pytest.importorskip("pyarrow")
     a = ak.Array([{"a": 1, "b": 2}, {"a": 3, "b": 4}])
     p = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("zeros-like-flat")
     ak.to_parquet(a, str(p / "file.parquet"))
diff --git a/tests/test_io_text.py b/tests/test_io_text.py
index 096f0e7f..6bac855a 100644
--- a/tests/test_io_text.py
+++ b/tests/test_io_text.py
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 import awkward as ak
 import awkward.operations.str as akstr
 import fsspec
+import pytest
 
 import dask_awkward as dak
 from dask_awkward.lib.testutils import assert_eq
 
 
-def test_form_text() -> None:
+def test_from_text() -> None:
+    pytest.importorskip("pyarrow")
     f1 = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dask-contrib/dask-awkward/main/README.md"
     f2 = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dask-contrib/dask-awkward/main/LICENSE"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_optimize.py b/tests/test_optimize.py
index 3aa57531..c9cf8ec0 100644
--- a/tests/test_optimize.py
+++ b/tests/test_optimize.py
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 from dask_awkward.lib.testutils import assert_eq
 
 
-def test_multiple_computes(pq_points_dir: str) -> None:
-    ds1 = dak.from_parquet(pq_points_dir)
-    # add a columns= argument to force a new tokenize result in
-    # from_parquet so we get two unique collections.
-    ds2 = dak.from_parquet(pq_points_dir, columns=["points"])
+def test_multiple_computes(ndjson_points_file: str) -> None:
+    ds1 = dak.from_json([ndjson_points_file] * 2)
+    # add a kwarg argument to force a new tokenize result in
+    # from_json so we get two unique collections.
+    ds2 = dak.from_json([ndjson_points_file] * 2, buffersize=65536 // 2)
 
     lists = [[[1, 2, 3], [4, 5]], [[], [0, 0, 0]]]
     ds3 = dak.from_lists(lists)
diff --git a/tests/test_structure.py b/tests/test_structure.py
index afb359dc..23a190b4 100644
--- a/tests/test_structure.py
+++ b/tests/test_structure.py
@@ -332,6 +332,8 @@ def test_isclose(daa, caa):
 
 
 def test_singletons(daa, L4, tmp_path):
+    pytest.importorskip("pyarrow")
+
     import warnings
 
     path = str(tmp_path)