diff --git a/explorer/tests/e2e/node.spec.ts b/explorer/tests/e2e/node.spec.ts
index 70e467743..b021440d6 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/e2e/node.spec.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/e2e/node.spec.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ test("node metadata", async ({ page, peerManager }) => {
   await page.goto(peer.uiUrl());
 
   await expect(page.getByText(shortNodeRemote).first()).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(page.getByText(/\/radicle:\d\//)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText(/\/radicle:[\d.]+\//)).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test("node repos", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/explorer/tests/support/fixtures.ts b/explorer/tests/support/fixtures.ts
index feeaceb29..0f0c46d7c 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/support/fixtures.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/support/fixtures.ts
@@ -274,7 +274,9 @@ export async function createCobsFixture(
   await eve.startNode({
     node: { ...defaultConfig.node, connect: [peer.address], alias: "eve" },
   });
-  await eve.rad(["clone", rid], { cwd: eve.checkoutPath });
+  await eve.rad(["clone", rid, "--seed", peer.nodeId], {
+    cwd: eve.checkoutPath,
+  });
 
   const issueOne = await issue.create(
     peer,
diff --git a/explorer/tests/support/heartwood-release b/explorer/tests/support/heartwood-release
index 9c6d6293b..587c5f0c7 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/support/heartwood-release
+++ b/explorer/tests/support/heartwood-release
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.6.1
+1.10.3
diff --git a/explorer/tests/support/peerManager.ts b/explorer/tests/support/peerManager.ts
index 8c0006d92..6b58841f5 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/support/peerManager.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/support/peerManager.ts
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ async function updateConfig(radHome: string, configParams: Partial<Config>) {
   const configPath = Path.join(radHome, "config.json");
   const configFile = await Fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8");
   const config = configSchema.parse({
-    defaultConfig,
+    ...defaultConfig,
     ...JSON.parse(configFile),
   });
   config.preferredSeeds = [];
diff --git a/explorer/tests/support/repo.ts b/explorer/tests/support/repo.ts
index f1b4312d2..cd80cfa0a 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/support/repo.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/support/repo.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ export async function createContributor(
   await contributor.startNode({
     node: { ...defaultConfig.node, connect: [delegate.address], alias: "eve" },
   });
-  await contributor.rad(["clone", rid], { cwd: contributor.checkoutPath });
+  await contributor.rad(["clone", rid, "--seed", delegate.nodeId], {
+    cwd: contributor.checkoutPath,
+  });
 
   return {
     contributor,