diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppInstrumentationTestCase.java b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppInstrumentationTestCase.java
index 863e249cbfe..b01d0542af4 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppInstrumentationTestCase.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppInstrumentationTestCase.java
@@ -37,21 +37,10 @@ public abstract class ReactAppInstrumentationTestCase extends
     intent.putExtra(ReactAppTestActivity.EXTRA_IS_FABRIC_TEST, isFabricTest());
     setActivityIntent(intent);
     final ReactAppTestActivity activity = getActivity();
-    try {
-      runTestOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
-        @Override
-        public void run() {
-          activity.loadApp(
-              getReactApplicationKeyUnderTest(),
-              createReactInstanceSpecForTest(),
-              getEnableDevSupport());
-        }
-      });
-    } catch (Throwable t) {
-      throw new Exception("Unable to load react app", t);
-    }
-    waitForBridgeAndUIIdle();
-    assertTrue("Layout never occurred!", activity.waitForLayout(5000));
+    activity.loadApp(
+        getReactApplicationKeyUnderTest(),
+        createReactInstanceSpecForTest(),
+        getEnableDevSupport());
     waitForBridgeAndUIIdle();
   }
 
diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppTestActivity.java b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppTestActivity.java
index 341c8781494..de18fad93e2 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppTestActivity.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactAppTestActivity.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import android.content.Intent;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity;
+import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewTreeObserver;
 import android.widget.FrameLayout;
@@ -180,17 +181,32 @@ public class ReactAppTestActivity extends FragmentActivity
     renderComponent(appKey, initialProps);
   }
 
-  public void renderComponent(String appKey, @Nullable Bundle initialProps) {
+  public void renderComponent(String appKey) {
+    renderComponent(appKey, null);
+  }
+
+  public void renderComponent(final String appKey, final @Nullable Bundle initialProps) {
     final CountDownLatch currentLayoutEvent = mLayoutEvent = new CountDownLatch(1);
-    Assertions.assertNotNull(mReactRootView).getViewTreeObserver().addOnGlobalLayoutListener(
-        new ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener() {
-          @Override
-          public void onGlobalLayout() {
-            currentLayoutEvent.countDown();
-          }
-        });
-    Assertions.assertNotNull(mReactRootView)
-        .startReactApplication(mReactInstanceManager, appKey, initialProps);
+    runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        Assertions.assertNotNull(mReactRootView).getViewTreeObserver().addOnGlobalLayoutListener(
+            new ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener() {
+              @Override
+              public void onGlobalLayout() {
+                currentLayoutEvent.countDown();
+              }
+            });
+        Assertions.assertNotNull(mReactRootView)
+            .startReactApplication(mReactInstanceManager, appKey, initialProps);
+      }
+    });
+    try {
+      waitForBridgeAndUIIdle();
+      waitForLayout(5000);
+    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+      throw new RuntimeException("Layout never occurred for component " + appKey, e);
+    }
   }
 
   public void loadBundle(
@@ -208,7 +224,7 @@ public class ReactAppTestActivity extends FragmentActivity
 
     mBridgeIdleSignaler = new ReactBridgeIdleSignaler();
 
-    ReactInstanceManagerBuilder builder =
+    final ReactInstanceManagerBuilder builder =
         ReactTestHelper.getReactTestFactory()
             .getReactInstanceManagerBuilder()
             .setApplication(getApplication())
@@ -259,8 +275,21 @@ public class ReactAppTestActivity extends FragmentActivity
               }})
         .setUIImplementationProvider(uiImplementationProvider);
 
-    mReactInstanceManager = builder.build();
-    mReactInstanceManager.onHostResume(this, this);
+    final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+    runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        mReactInstanceManager = builder.build();
+        mReactInstanceManager.onHostResume(ReactAppTestActivity.this, ReactAppTestActivity.this);
+        latch.countDown();
+      }
+    });
+    try {
+      latch.await(1000, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+      throw new RuntimeException(
+          "ReactInstanceManager never finished initializing " + bundleName, e);
+    }
   }
 
   private ReactInstanceManager getReactInstanceManager() {
diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactInstrumentationTest.java b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactInstrumentationTest.java
index 3f0a7e250bf..20dcc3ef516 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactInstrumentationTest.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/androidTest/java/com/facebook/react/testing/ReactInstrumentationTest.java
@@ -37,37 +37,17 @@ public abstract class ReactInstrumentationTest extends
     intent.putExtra(ReactAppTestActivity.EXTRA_IS_FABRIC_TEST, isFabricTest());
     setActivityIntent(intent);
     final ReactAppTestActivity activity = getActivity();
-    try {
-      runTestOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
-        @Override
-        public void run() {
-          activity.loadBundle(
-              createReactInstanceSpecForTest(),
-              getBundleName(),
-              getEnableDevSupport());
-        }
-      });
-    } catch (Throwable t) {
-      throw new Exception("Unable to load react bundle " + getBundleName(), t);
-    }
+    activity.loadBundle(
+        createReactInstanceSpecForTest(),
+        getBundleName(),
+        getEnableDevSupport());
   }
 
   /**
    * Renders this component within this test's activity
    */
   public void renderComponent(final String componentName) throws Exception {
-    final ReactAppTestActivity activity = getActivity();
-    try {
-      runTestOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
-        @Override
-        public void run() {
-          activity.renderComponent(componentName, null);
-        }
-      });
-    } catch (Throwable t) {
-      throw new Exception("Unable to render component " + componentName, t);
-    }
-    assertTrue("Layout never occurred!", activity.waitForLayout(5000));
+    getActivity().renderComponent(componentName, null);
     waitForBridgeAndUIIdle();
   }