diff --git a/tests/test_local.py b/tests/test_local.py
index cced26c..2344f5f 100644
--- a/tests/test_local.py
+++ b/tests/test_local.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """
-Actor model API testing
+Arbiter and "local" actor api
 """
 import time
 
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ import pytest
 import trio
 import tractor
 
-from conftest import tractor_test
-
 
 @pytest.mark.trio
 async def test_no_arbitter():
@@ -42,93 +40,3 @@ def test_local_actor_async_func(arb_addr):
     # ensure the sleeps were actually awaited
     assert time.time() - start >= 1
     assert nums == list(range(10))
-
-
-statespace = {'doggy': 10, 'kitty': 4}
-
-
-async def spawn(is_arbiter):
-    namespaces = [__name__]
-
-    await trio.sleep(0.1)
-    actor = tractor.current_actor()
-    assert actor.is_arbiter == is_arbiter
-    assert actor.statespace == statespace
-
-    if actor.is_arbiter:
-        async with tractor.open_nursery() as nursery:
-            # forks here
-            portal = await nursery.run_in_actor(
-                'sub-actor',
-                spawn,
-                is_arbiter=False,
-                statespace=statespace,
-                rpc_module_paths=namespaces,
-            )
-
-            assert len(nursery._children) == 1
-            assert portal.channel.uid in tractor.current_actor()._peers
-            # be sure we can still get the result
-            result = await portal.result()
-            assert result == 10
-            return result
-    else:
-        return 10
-
-
-def test_local_arbiter_subactor_global_state(arb_addr):
-    result = tractor.run(
-        spawn,
-        True,
-        name='arbiter',
-        statespace=statespace,
-        arbiter_addr=arb_addr,
-    )
-    assert result == 10
-
-
-def movie_theatre_question():
-    """A question asked in a dark theatre, in a tangent
-    (errr, I mean different) process.
-    """
-    return 'have you ever seen a portal?'
-
-
-@tractor_test
-async def test_movie_theatre_convo():
-    """The main ``tractor`` routine.
-    """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
-
-        portal = await n.start_actor(
-            'frank',
-            # enable the actor to run funcs from this current module
-            rpc_module_paths=[__name__],
-        )
-
-        print(await portal.run(__name__, 'movie_theatre_question'))
-        # call the subactor a 2nd time
-        print(await portal.run(__name__, 'movie_theatre_question'))
-
-        # the async with will block here indefinitely waiting
-        # for our actor "frank" to complete, we cancel 'frank'
-        # to avoid blocking indefinitely
-        await portal.cancel_actor()
-
-
-def cellar_door():
-    return "Dang that's beautiful"
-
-
-@tractor_test
-async def test_most_beautiful_word():
-    """The main ``tractor`` routine.
-    """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
-
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor('some_linguist', cellar_door)
-
-    # The ``async with`` will unblock here since the 'some_linguist'
-    # actor has completed its main task ``cellar_door``.
-
-    print(await portal.result())