diff --git a/tests/helpers.py b/tests/helpers.py
index 5019e88..f1783f6 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/tests/helpers.py
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ def get_tempdir():
     return tempfile.mkdtemp(suffix=TMPSUFFIX)
 
 
-def create_random_file(directory, content=None, binary=False):
+def create_random_file(directory, content=None,
+                       binary=False, template=False):
     '''Create a new file in directory with random content.'''
     fname = get_string(8)
     mode = 'w'
@@ -46,9 +47,15 @@ def create_random_file(directory, content=None, binary=False):
         mode = 'wb'
     if content is None:
         if binary:
-            content = bytes(get_string(100), 'ascii')
+            pre = bytes()
+            if template:
+                pre = bytes('{{@@ header() @@}}\n', 'ascii')
+            content = bytes('{}{}\n'.format(pre, get_string(100)), 'ascii')
         else:
-            content = get_string(100)
+            pre = ''
+            if template:
+                pre = '{{@@ header() @@}}\n'
+            content = '{}{}\n'.format(pre, get_string(100))
     path = os.path.join(directory, fname)
     with open(path, mode) as f:
         f.write(content)
diff --git a/tests/test_compare.py b/tests/test_compare.py
index 3b0165a..c180bf3 100644
--- a/tests/test_compare.py
+++ b/tests/test_compare.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ class TestCompare(unittest.TestCase):
                                       create=self.CONFIG_CREATE)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(confpath))
         conf, opts = load_config(confpath, profile)
+        opts['longkey'] = True
         dfiles = [d1, d2, d3, d4, d5]
 
         # import the files
diff --git a/tests/test_install.py b/tests/test_install.py
index e1b15ec..acad9b5 100644
--- a/tests/test_install.py
+++ b/tests/test_install.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ exec bspwm
         self.addCleanup(clean, dir1)
         dst6 = os.path.join(dst, get_string(6))
         # fill with files
-        sub1, _ = create_random_file(dir1)
+        sub1, _ = create_random_file(dir1, template=True)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(sub1))
         sub2, _ = create_random_file(dir1)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(sub2))