diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 559ae61d8..cc4991606 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: test
       run: |
         sudo apt-get install tcl8.5
-        ./runtest --clients 1 --verbose
+        ./runtest --clients 2 --verbose
 
-  test-ubuntu-old:
+  build-ubuntu-old:
     runs-on: ubuntu-16.04
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v1
diff --git a/tests/unit/memefficiency.tcl b/tests/unit/memefficiency.tcl
index c899103fd..06b0e07d7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/memefficiency.tcl
+++ b/tests/unit/memefficiency.tcl
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ start_server {tags {"defrag"}} {
 
             r config set latency-monitor-threshold 5
             r latency reset
+            r config set maxmemory 110mb ;# prevent further eviction (not to fail the digest test)
             set digest [r debug digest]
             catch {r config set activedefrag yes} e
             if {![string match {DISABLED*} $e]} {
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ start_server {tags {"defrag"}} {
             for {set j 0} {$j < 500000} {incr j} {
                 $rd read ; # Discard replies
             }
-            assert {[r dbsize] == 500010}
+            assert_equal [r dbsize] 500010
 
             # create some fragmentation
             for {set j 0} {$j < 500000} {incr j 2} {
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ start_server {tags {"defrag"}} {
             for {set j 0} {$j < 500000} {incr j 2} {
                 $rd read ; # Discard replies
             }
-            assert {[r dbsize] == 250010}
+            assert_equal [r dbsize] 250010
 
             # start defrag
             after 120 ;# serverCron only updates the info once in 100ms