diff --git a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
index 25c6cca7..ffa72cc8 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(u'backends.gstreamer')
 class GStreamerMessages(threading.Thread):
     def run(self):
         gobject.MainLoop().run()
-GStreamerMessages().start()
 
+message_thread = GStreamerMessages()
+message_thread.daemon = True
+message_thread.start()
 
 class GStreamerBackend(BaseBackend):
     """
@@ -88,7 +90,8 @@ class GStreamerPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
     def time_position(self):
         try:
             return self._bin.query_position(gst.FORMAT_TIME)[0] // gst.MSECOND
-        except gst.QueryError:
+        except gst.QueryError, e:
+            logger.error('time_position failed: %s',e )
             return 0
 
     def destroy(self):
diff --git a/tests/backends/base.py b/tests/backends/base.py
index b0ceef79..0d62554d 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import random
 import time
+import threading
 
 from mopidy.mixers.dummy import DummyMixer
 from mopidy.models import Playlist, Track
@@ -546,19 +547,21 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
     @populate_playlist
     def test_end_of_track_callback_gets_called(self):
         end_of_track_callback = self.playback.end_of_track_callback
+        event = threading.Event()
 
         def wrapper():
-            wrapper.called = True
-            return end_of_track_callback()
-        wrapper.called = False
+            result = end_of_track_callback()
+            event.set()
+            return result
 
         self.playback.end_of_track_callback= wrapper
 
         self.playback.play()
-        self.playback.seek(self.tracks[0].length - 1)
-        time.sleep(0.5)
+        self.playback.seek(self.tracks[0].length - 10)
 
-        self.assert_(wrapper.called)
+        event.wait(5)
+
+        self.assert_(event.is_set())
 
     @populate_playlist
     def test_new_playlist_loaded_callback_when_playing(self):
@@ -737,9 +740,8 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
     @populate_playlist
     def test_time_position_when_playing(self):
         self.playback.play()
-        time.sleep(0.2)
         first = self.playback.time_position
-        time.sleep(0.2)
+        time.sleep(1)
         second = self.playback.time_position
 
         self.assert_(second > first, '%s - %s' % (first, second))
diff --git a/tests/data/blank.flac b/tests/data/blank.flac
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b838b98e
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/blank.flac differ
diff --git a/tests/data/blank.ogg b/tests/data/blank.ogg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b1c57a1
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/blank.ogg differ
diff --git a/tests/data/blank.wav b/tests/data/blank.wav
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5217ec6f
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/blank.wav differ
diff --git a/tests/data/song1.flac b/tests/data/song1.flac
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..e5e7c129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song1.flac
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.flac
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song1.ogg b/tests/data/song1.ogg
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..33e773e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song1.ogg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.ogg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song1.wav b/tests/data/song1.wav
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..72a38fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song1.wav
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.wav
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song2.flac b/tests/data/song2.flac
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..e5e7c129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song2.flac
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.flac
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song2.ogg b/tests/data/song2.ogg
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..33e773e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song2.ogg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.ogg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song2.wav b/tests/data/song2.wav
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..72a38fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song2.wav
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.wav
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song3.flac b/tests/data/song3.flac
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..e5e7c129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song3.flac
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.flac
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song3.ogg b/tests/data/song3.ogg
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..33e773e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song3.ogg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.ogg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/song3.wav b/tests/data/song3.wav
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..72a38fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/song3.wav
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blank.wav
\ No newline at end of file