diff --git a/unit_tests/engine_test_helper.h b/unit_tests/engine_test_helper.h
index da7c1d5acb..e9972ebfa8 100644
--- a/unit_tests/engine_test_helper.h
+++ b/unit_tests/engine_test_helper.h
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ public:
 	void firePrimaryTriggerFall();
 	void fireTriggerEvents(int count);
 	void fireTriggerEventsWithDuration(float delayMs);
+	/**
+	 * todo: better method name since this method executes events in the FUTURE
+	 * looks like such a method should be used only in some pretty narrow circumstances
+	 * a healthy test should probably use executeActions instead?
+	 */
 	void clearQueue();
 
 	scheduling_s * assertEvent5(const char *msg, int index, void *callback, efitime_t expectedTimestamp);
diff --git a/unit_tests/tests/trigger/test_trigger_decoder.cpp b/unit_tests/tests/trigger/test_trigger_decoder.cpp
index 39e2c424e2..07743251e8 100644
--- a/unit_tests/tests/trigger/test_trigger_decoder.cpp
+++ b/unit_tests/tests/trigger/test_trigger_decoder.cpp
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ TEST(misc, testRpmCalculator) {
 	ASSERT_EQ( 15,  engine->triggerCentral.triggerState.getCurrentIndex()) << "index #1";
 
 
-	eth.clearQueue();
+	eth.executeActions();
 
 //	debugSignalExecutor = true;
 
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ TEST(big, testTwoWireBatch) {
 	eth.fireTriggerEventsWithDuration(20);
 	// still no RPM since need to cycles measure cycle duration
 	eth.fireTriggerEventsWithDuration(20);
-	eth.clearQueue();
+	eth.executeActions();
 
 	/**
 	 * Trigger up - scheduling fuel for full engine cycle
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ TEST(big, testSequential) {
 	eth.fireTriggerEventsWithDuration(20);
 	// still no RPM since need to cycles measure cycle duration
 	eth.fireTriggerEventsWithDuration(20);
-	eth.clearQueue();
+	eth.executeActions();
 
 	/**
 	 * Trigger up - scheduling fuel for full engine cycle