diff --git a/cashu/mint/startup.py b/cashu/mint/startup.py
index 769edcf0..35635258 100644
--- a/cashu/mint/startup.py
+++ b/cashu/mint/startup.py
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 from ..mint.crud import LedgerCrudSqlite
 from ..mint.ledger import Ledger
 
+# kill the program if python runs in non-__debug__ mode
+# which could lead to asserts not being executed for optimized code
+if not __debug__:
+    raise Exception("Nutshell cannot run in non-debug mode.")
+
 logger.debug("Enviroment Settings:")
 for key, value in settings.dict().items():
     if key in [
diff --git a/tests/helpers.py b/tests/helpers.py
index 456ab21b..9db520f0 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/tests/helpers.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ async def get_random_invoice_data():
 is_deprecated_api_only = settings.debug_mint_only_deprecated
 is_github_actions = os.getenv("GITHUB_ACTIONS") == "true"
 is_postgres = settings.mint_database.startswith("postgres")
+SLEEP_TIME = 1 if not is_github_actions else 3
 
 docker_lightning_cli = [
     "docker",
diff --git a/tests/test_mint_init.py b/tests/test_mint_init.py
index db7e2a79..7bc45676 100644
--- a/tests/test_mint_init.py
+++ b/tests/test_mint_init.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
 from cashu.wallet.wallet import Wallet
 from tests.conftest import SERVER_ENDPOINT
 from tests.helpers import (
+    SLEEP_TIME,
     cancel_invoice,
     get_hold_invoice,
     is_fake,
-    is_github_actions,
     is_regtest,
     pay_if_regtest,
     settle_invoice,
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 DERIVATION_PATH = "m/0'/0'/0'"
 DECRYPTON_KEY = "testdecryptionkey"
 ENCRYPTED_SEED = "U2FsdGVkX1_7UU_-nVBMBWDy_9yDu4KeYb7MH8cJTYQGD4RWl82PALH8j-HKzTrI"
-SLEEP_TIME = 1 if not is_github_actions else 2
 
 
 async def assert_err(f, msg):
diff --git a/tests/test_mint_regtest.py b/tests/test_mint_regtest.py
index 896ab5a9..82890e46 100644
--- a/tests/test_mint_regtest.py
+++ b/tests/test_mint_regtest.py
@@ -8,15 +8,13 @@
 from cashu.wallet.wallet import Wallet
 from tests.conftest import SERVER_ENDPOINT
 from tests.helpers import (
+    SLEEP_TIME,
     get_hold_invoice,
     is_fake,
-    is_github_actions,
     pay_if_regtest,
     settle_invoice,
 )
 
-SLEEP_TIME = 1 if not is_github_actions else 2
-
 
 @pytest_asyncio.fixture(scope="function")
 async def wallet():
diff --git a/tests/test_wallet_regtest.py b/tests/test_wallet_regtest.py
index 5ea3d431..7a8c61cb 100644
--- a/tests/test_wallet_regtest.py
+++ b/tests/test_wallet_regtest.py
@@ -9,16 +9,14 @@
 from cashu.wallet.wallet import Wallet
 from tests.conftest import SERVER_ENDPOINT
 from tests.helpers import (
+    SLEEP_TIME,
     cancel_invoice,
     get_hold_invoice,
     is_fake,
-    is_github_actions,
     pay_if_regtest,
     settle_invoice,
 )
 
-SLEEP_TIME = 1 if not is_github_actions else 2
-
 
 @pytest_asyncio.fixture(scope="function")
 async def wallet():