diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 76a8ddee..fbb33eec 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
+import os
+
 import pytest
 import tractor
+import trio
 from piker import log
+from piker.brokers import questrade, config
 
 
 def pytest_addoption(parser):
     parser.addoption("--ll", action="store", dest='loglevel',
                      default=None, help="logging level to set when testing")
+    parser.addoption("--confdir", default=None,
+                     help="Use a practice API account")
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session', autouse=True)
@@ -17,9 +23,65 @@ def loglevel(request):
     tractor.log._default_loglevel = orig
 
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def brokerconf():
-    from piker.brokers import config
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def test_config():
+    dirname = os.path.dirname
+    dirpath = os.path.abspath(
+        os.path.join(
+            dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)),
+            'data'
+        )
+    )
+    return dirpath
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def travis():
+    is_travis = os.environ.get('TRAVIS', False)
+    if is_travis:
+        # this directory is cached, see .travis.yaml
+        cache_dir = config.get_broker_conf_path()
+        refresh_token = os.environ['QT_REFRESH_TOKEN']
+
+        def write_with_token(token):
+            conf, path = config.load(cache_dir)
+            conf.setdefault('questrade', {}).update({'refresh_token': token})
+            config.write(conf, path)
+
+        # if not os.path.isdir(cache_dir):
+        #     write_with_token(refresh_token)
+
+        async def ensure_config():
+            # try to refresh current token using cached brokers config
+            # if it fails fail try using the refresh token provided by the
+            # env var and if that fails stop the test run here.
+            try:
+                async with questrade.get_client(ask_user=False):
+                    pass
+
+            except (KeyError, ValueError, questrade.BrokerError):
+                # 3 cases:
+                # - config doesn't have a ``refresh_token`` k/v
+                # - cache dir does not exist yet
+                # - current token is expired; take it form env var
+                write_with_token(refresh_token)
+
+                async with questrade.get_client(ask_user=False):
+                    pass
+
+        # XXX ``pytest_trio`` doesn't support scope or autouse
+        trio.run(ensure_config)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session', autouse=True)
+def brokerconf(request, test_config, travis):
+    """If the `--confdir` flag is not passed use the
+    broker config file found in that dir.
+    """
+    confdir = request.config.option.confdir
+    if confdir is not None:
+        config._override_config_dir(confdir)
+
     return config.load()[0]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_questrade.py b/tests/test_questrade.py
index 1cfb60dd..7dea471c 100644
--- a/tests/test_questrade.py
+++ b/tests/test_questrade.py
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@ from piker.brokers.data import DataFeed
 log = tractor.get_logger('tests')
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
-def check_qt_conf_section(brokerconf):
-    """Skip this module's tests if we have not quetrade API creds.
-    """
-    if not brokerconf.has_section('questrade'):
-        pytest.skip("No questrade API credentials available")
-
-
 # stock quote
 _ex_quotes = {
     'stock': {
@@ -137,7 +129,8 @@ async def test_concurrent_tokens_refresh(us_symbols, loglevel):
             async def intermittently_refresh_tokens(client):
                 while True:
                     try:
-                        await client.ensure_access(force_refresh=True)
+                        await client.ensure_access(
+                            force_refresh=True, ask_user=False)
                         log.info(f"last token data is {client.access_data}")
                         await trio.sleep(1)
                     except Exception: