diff --git a/tests/test_auction_flow.sh b/tests/test_auction_flow.sh
index 20d8cb6..e1d64be 100755
--- a/tests/test_auction_flow.sh
+++ b/tests/test_auction_flow.sh
@@ -4,18 +4,11 @@
 HERE=$(cd $(dirname $BASH_SOURCE) && pwd)
 source $HERE/testutil.sh
 
-# log commands
-# set -x 
+cosmos-testd tx cosmostest new-bid 0 800 \
+    -y --from alice \
+    | expect_fail "Can't create bids for nonexistent auctions"
 
-log_test "Typical Auction Flow"
-
-out=$(cosmos-testd tx cosmostest new-auction asdf asdf utoken -y --from bob --chain-id cosmostest)
-expect_success $out
-
-log_test "Failed Bidding Edge Cases"
-
-# out=$(cosmos-testd tx cosmostest new-bid 0 800 -y --from bob --chain-id cosmostest | expect_fail)
-# expect_success $out
-
-# cosmos-testd tx cosmostest new-bid 0 800 --from bob --chain-id cosmostest
+cosmos-testd tx cosmostest new-auction asdf asdf 100 token 1662155879 \
+    -y --from bob \
+    | expect_success "New auction is created"
 
diff --git a/tests/testutil.sh b/tests/testutil.sh
index 49c6349..7f6ed51 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.sh
+++ b/tests/testutil.sh
@@ -1,21 +1,39 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# Configuration options that all tests must include
+set -e
+cosmos-testd config chain-id cosmostest
+cosmos-testd config output json 
+
 # Compares $1 & $2, exiting with $3 (label) if not eq
 function assert_eq {
     if [[ $1 = $2 ]]; then
+        log_fail
         echo Expected $3 to equal $2, instead got $1.
         exit 1
     else
-        echo $3 has correct value.
+        log_ok
+        echo $3 correctly equals $2
     fi
 }
 
+# Get balance of an account.
+function get_balance {
+    addr=$1
+    denom=$2
+    return \
+    $(
+        curl http://0.0.0.0:1317/cosmos/bank/v1beta1/balances/$addr/by_denom?denom=$denom \
+        | jq -M ".balance.amount"
+    )
+}
+
 # Get current block time from chain.
 function get_block_time {
     return \
     $(
         curl http://0.0.0.0:1317/cosmos/base/tendermint/v1beta1/blocks/latest \
-        | jq ".blocks.header.height"
+        | jq -M ".blocks.header.height"
     )
 }
 
@@ -24,40 +42,54 @@ function get_code {
     return $out | grep code: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}'
 }
 
-function filter_out {
-    out=$1
-    filter=$2
+function get_key {
+    local out=$1
+    local filter=$2
     echo $out | jq -M $filter
 }
 
+function now {
+    local op=$1
+    local amount=$2
+    if [[ op = "" ]]; then
+        date +%s
+    else
+        echo "$(date +%s) $op $amount" | bc
+    fi
+}
+
 function expect_success {
-    out=$1
+    read out
+    local msg=${1:-Expect transaction to succeed}
     # if we want to pipe:
     # read out
-    res=$(echo $out | grep code: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
-    raw_log=$(echo $out | grep raw_log: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
+    # local res=$(echo $out | grep code: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
+    # local raw_log=$(echo $out | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
+    local res=$(echo $out | jq -M ".code")
+    local raw_log=$(echo $out | jq -M ".raw_log")
     if [[ $res = 0 ]]; then
         log_ok
-        echo Transaction succeeded.
+        echo $msg
     else
         log_fail
-        echo Transaction unexpectedly reverted.
-        echo
+        echo $msg
         echo $raw_log
         exit 1
     fi
 }
 
 function expect_fail {
-    out=$1
-    res=$(echo $out | grep code: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
+    read out
+    local msg=${1:-Expect transaction to revert}
+    # local res=$(echo $out | grep code: | awk -F ': ' '{print $2}')
+    local res=$(echo $out | jq -M ".code")
     if [[ $res = 0 ]]; then
         log_fail
-        echo Transaction unexpectedly succeeded.
+        echo $msg
         exit 1
     else
         log_ok
-        echo Transaction reverted.
+        echo $msg
     fi
 }