diff --git a/spec/core/spec_helper.rb b/spec/core/spec_helper.rb
index ffa278b5..8bf01c1f 100644
--- a/spec/core/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/core/spec_helper.rb
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ def stub_json_request(verb, path_matcher, body = json, options = {})
   c.default_cassette_options = { :record => :new_episodes, :decode_compressed_response => true, :serialize_with => :json, :preserve_exact_body_bytes => true }
   c.hook_into :webmock
   c.configure_rspec_metadata!
+
+  # In CI this doesn't matter, since we start by deleting all the cassettes.
+  # In development, this helps debugging.
+  c.allow_http_connections_when_no_cassette = true
 end
 
 include WebMock::API
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/zendesk.rb b/spec/fixtures/zendesk.rb
index 9941d52f..71e9a31a 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/zendesk.rb
+++ b/spec/fixtures/zendesk.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def find_or_create_user(role)
 
     def topic
       VCR.use_cassette('valid_topic') do
-        @topic ||= client.topics.create(
+        @topic ||= client.topics.create!(
           :name => "Test Topic",
           :description => "This is the body of a topic."
         )
diff --git a/spec/live/automation_spec.rb b/spec/live/automation_spec.rb
index ffe5e6a7..d384244e 100644
--- a/spec/live/automation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/automation_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 describe ZendeskAPI::Automation, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
     {
-      :title => "my test automation",
+      :title => "my test automation_ruby_sdk_test",
       :conditions => {
         :all => [{ :field => "status", :operator => "is", :value => "open" }]
       },
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ def valid_attributes
     }
   end
 
+  # before(:all) do
+  #   VCR.use_cassette("Automations_Cleanup") do
+  #     client.automations.fetch.map(&:destroy)
+  #   end
+  # end
+
   it_should_be_readable :automations
   it_should_be_readable :automations, :active
 
diff --git a/spec/live/brand_spec.rb b/spec/live/brand_spec.rb
index 34f4258a..32e4b8bf 100644
--- a/spec/live/brand_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/brand_spec.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 describe ZendeskAPI::Brand, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
-    { :name => "awesomesauce", :subdomain => "zendeskapi#{SecureRandom.hex(3)}" }
+    { :name => "awesomesauce_ruby_sdk_test", :subdomain => "zendeskapi#{SecureRandom.hex(3)}" }
   end
 
   it_should_be_creatable
-  it_should_be_updatable :name
+  it_should_be_updatable :name, "awesomesauce_ruby_sdk_updated_name"
   it_should_be_readable :brands
 
   # Deleted brands are still findable by id, but in the index action
diff --git a/spec/live/custom_status_spec.rb b/spec/live/custom_status_spec.rb
index 38d7bb8b..d52a2d7b 100644
--- a/spec/live/custom_status_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/custom_status_spec.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def valid_attributes
   end
 
   it_should_be_creatable
-  it_should_be_updatable :agent_label, 'New Agent Label'
+  it_should_be_updatable :agent_label, "ruby_sdk_test_agent_label_updated"
   it_should_be_updatable :end_user_label, 'New End User Label'
   it_should_be_updatable :description, 'New Description'
   it_should_be_updatable :end_user_description, 'New End User Description'
diff --git a/spec/live/dynamic_content/item_spec.rb b/spec/live/dynamic_content/item_spec.rb
index c62b63e0..91f938ae 100644
--- a/spec/live/dynamic_content/item_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/dynamic_content/item_spec.rb
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 describe ZendeskAPI::DynamicContent::Item, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
     {
-      :name => "Snowboard Problem",
+      :name => "Dynamic Content Item name Ruby SDK test",
       :default_locale_id => 1,
-      :content => "Snowboard Problem variant"
+      :content => "Ruby SDK test content"
     }
   end
 
   it_should_be_readable :dynamic_content, :items, :create => true
   it_should_be_creatable
-  it_should_be_updatable :name
+  it_should_be_updatable :name, 'Updated Dynamic Content Item name Ruby SDK test'
   it_should_be_deletable
 end
diff --git a/spec/live/dynamic_content/variant_spec.rb b/spec/live/dynamic_content/variant_spec.rb
index fad28093..91d850d9 100644
--- a/spec/live/dynamic_content/variant_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/dynamic_content/variant_spec.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ def valid_attributes
       :locale_id => 2,
       :active => true,
       :default => false,
-      :content => 'Mon dieu!'
+      :content => 'Mon dieu!!'
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/live/identity_spec.rb b/spec/live/identity_spec.rb
index fa18fedf..8a6fed74 100644
--- a/spec/live/identity_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/identity_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 describe ZendeskAPI::User::Identity, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
-    { :type => "email", :value => "abcdef@example.com" }
+    { :type => "email", :value => "ruby_sdk_test@example.com" }
   end
 
   under current_user do
diff --git a/spec/live/organization_field_spec.rb b/spec/live/organization_field_spec.rb
index b8d301d1..19a21cca 100644
--- a/spec/live/organization_field_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/organization_field_spec.rb
@@ -9,4 +9,10 @@ def valid_attributes
   it_should_be_updatable :title, "key"
   it_should_be_deletable
   it_should_be_readable :organization_fields, :create => true
+
+  # it 'should have been cleaned up' do
+  #   VCR.use_cassette("OrganizationField_Cleanup") do
+  #     expect(client.organization_fields.fetch).to be_empty
+  #   end
+  # end
 end
diff --git a/spec/live/organization_spec.rb b/spec/live/organization_spec.rb
index ef2416c5..ed92194c 100644
--- a/spec/live/organization_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/organization_spec.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 describe ZendeskAPI::Organization, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
-    { :name => "Awesome-O" }
+    { :name => 'organization_name_ruby_sdk_test' }
   end
 
   it_should_be_creatable
-  it_should_be_updatable :name
+  it_should_be_updatable :name, 'organization_name_ruby_sdk_test_updated'
   it_should_be_deletable
   it_should_be_readable :organizations, :create => true
 
diff --git a/spec/live/user_field_spec.rb b/spec/live/user_field_spec.rb
index 54854325..e7dfd3d2 100644
--- a/spec/live/user_field_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/live/user_field_spec.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 describe ZendeskAPI::UserField, :delete_after do
   def valid_attributes
-    { :type => "text", :title => "Age", :key => "age" }
+    { :type => "text", :title => "title_ruby_sdk_test", :key => 'ruby_sdk_test_key' }
   end
 
-  it_should_be_creatable
-  it_should_be_updatable :title, "key"
   it_should_be_deletable
+  it_should_be_creatable
+  it_should_be_updatable :title, "updated_title_ruby_sdk_test"
   it_should_be_readable :user_fields, :create => true
 end
diff --git a/spec/macros/resource_macros.rb b/spec/macros/resource_macros.rb
index 990340da..64b2f8cd 100644
--- a/spec/macros/resource_macros.rb
+++ b/spec/macros/resource_macros.rb
@@ -21,26 +21,26 @@ def it_should_be_creatable(options = {})
 
       before(:all) do
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_create") do
-          @object = described_class.create(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
+          @creatable_object = described_class.create!(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
         end
       end
 
       it "should have an id" do
-        expect(@object).to_not be_nil
-        expect(@object.send(:id)).to_not be_nil
+        expect(@creatable_object).to_not be_nil
+        expect(@creatable_object.send(:id)).to_not be_nil
       end
 
       it "should be findable", :unless => metadata[:not_findable] do
         options = default_options
-        options.merge!(:id => @object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
-        expect(described_class.find(client, options)).to eq(@object)
+        options.merge!(:id => @creatable_object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
+        expect(described_class.find(client, options)).to eq(@creatable_object)
       end
 
       after(:all) do
-        return unless @object.id
+        return unless @creatable_object.id
 
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_create_delete") do
-          @object.destroy
+          @creatable_object.destroy
         end
       end if metadata[:delete_after]
     end
@@ -50,40 +50,38 @@ def it_should_be_updatable(attribute, value = "TESTDATA", extra = {})
     context "update", :vcr do
       before(:all) do
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_update_create") do
-          @object = described_class.create(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
+          @updatable_object = described_class.create!(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
         end
       end
 
       before(:each) do
-        @object.send("#{attribute}=", value)
-        extra.each { |k, v| @object.send("#{k}=", v) }
+        @updatable_object.send("#{attribute}=", value)
+        extra.each { |k, v| @updatable_object.send("#{k}=", v) }
       end
 
       it "should be savable" do
-        expect(@object.save).to be(true)
+        expect(@updatable_object.save!).to be(true)
       end
 
       context "after save" do
         before(:each) do
-          @object.save
+          @updatable_object.save
         end
 
         it "should keep attributes" do
-          expect(@object.send(attribute)).to eq(value)
+          expect(@updatable_object.send(attribute)).to eq(value)
         end
 
         it "should be findable", :unless => metadata[:not_findable] do
           options = default_options
-          options.merge!(:id => @object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
-          expect(described_class.find(client, options)).to eq(@object)
+          options.merge!(:id => @updatable_object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
+          expect(described_class.find(client, options)).to eq(@updatable_object)
         end
       end
 
       after(:all) do
-        return unless @object.id
-
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_update_delete") do
-          @object.destroy
+          @updatable_object.destroy
         end
       end if metadata[:delete_after]
     end
@@ -93,21 +91,20 @@ def it_should_be_deletable(options = {})
     context "deletion", :vcr do
       before(:all) do
         if options[:object]
-          @object = options.delete(:object)
+          @deletable_object = options.delete(:object)
         else
           VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_delete_create") do
-            @object = described_class.create(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
+            @deletable_object = described_class.create!(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
           end
         end
       end
 
       it "should be destroyable" do |example|
-        expect(@object.destroy).to be(true)
-        expect(@object.destroyed?).to be(true)
-
+        expect(@deletable_object.destroy).to be(true)
+        expect(@deletable_object.destroyed?).to be(true)
         if (!options.key?(:find) || options[:find]) && !example.metadata[:not_findable]
           opts = default_options
-          opts.merge!(:id => @object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
+          opts.merge!(:id => @deletable_object.id) unless described_class.ancestors.include?(ZendeskAPI::SingularResource)
           obj = described_class.find(client, opts)
 
           if options[:find]
@@ -129,13 +126,13 @@ def it_should_be_readable(*args)
     context context_name, :vcr do
       before(:all) do
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_#{context_name}_create") do
-          @object = described_class.create!(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
+          @readable_object = described_class.create!(client, valid_attributes.merge(default_options))
         end
       end if create
 
       after(:all) do
         VCR.use_cassette("#{described_class.to_s}_#{context_name}_delete") do
-          @object.destroy
+          @readable_object.destroy
         end
       end if create
 
@@ -148,7 +145,7 @@ def it_should_be_readable(*args)
             object = nil
 
             result.all do |o|
-              object = o if @object == o
+              object = o if @readable_object == o
             end
 
             expect(object).to_not be_nil
@@ -158,7 +155,7 @@ def it_should_be_readable(*args)
           end
         else
           expect(result).to_not be_nil
-          expect(result).to eq(@object) if create
+          expect(result).to eq(@readable_object) if create
           object = result
         end