diff --git a/tests/aws/requests/dns/dns_tests.rb b/tests/aws/requests/dns/dns_tests.rb
index 9d81203db..65983d912 100644
--- a/tests/aws/requests/dns/dns_tests.rb
+++ b/tests/aws/requests/dns/dns_tests.rb
@@ -3,43 +3,19 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
   @org_zone_count = 0
   @zone_id = ''
   @change_id = ''
-  @new_records =[]
+  @new_records = []
+  @domain_name = generate_unique_domain
 
-  # NOTE: can't use generate_unique_domain() as we do in other DNS provider
-  #       test suites as AWS charges $1/mth for each domain, even if it exists
-  #       on AWS for only the time that this test suite runs!!
-  #       http://aws.amazon.com/route53/pricing/
-  @test_domain = 'test-343246324434.com'
   @elb_connection = Fog::AWS::ELB.new
+  @r53_connection = Fog::DNS[:aws]
 
-  tests( 'success') do
-
-    test('see if test domain already exists') do
-      pending if Fog.mocking?
-
-      @zone_id = nil
-
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].list_hosted_zones()
-      if response.status == 200
-        @hosted_zones = response.body['HostedZones']
-      end
-
-      #go through zones for this account
-      @hosted_zones.each { |zone|
-        domain = zone['Name']
-        if domain.chomp == @test_domain
-          @zone_id = zone['Id']
-        end
-      }
-
-      @zone_id.nil?
-    end
+  tests('success') do
 
     test('get current zone count') do
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
       @org_zone_count= 0
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].list_hosted_zones()
+      response = @r53_connection.list_hosted_zones
       if response.status == 200
         @hosted_zones = response.body['HostedZones']
         @org_zone_count = @hosted_zones.count
@@ -53,12 +29,12 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
 
       result = false
 
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].create_hosted_zone( @test_domain)
+      response = @r53_connection.create_hosted_zone(@domain_name)
       if response.status == 201
 
-        zone= response.body['HostedZone']
+        zone        = response.body['HostedZone']
         change_info = response.body['ChangeInfo']
-        ns_servers = response.body['NameServers']
+        ns_servers  = response.body['NameServers']
 
         if (zone and change_info and ns_servers)
 
@@ -82,11 +58,11 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
       result = false
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].get_change(@change_id)
+      response = @r53_connection.get_change(@change_id)
       if response.status == 200
         status = response.body['Status']
         if (status == 'PENDING') or (status == 'INSYNC')
-          result= true
+          result = true
         end
       end
 
@@ -98,7 +74,7 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
 
       result = false
 
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].get_hosted_zone( @zone_id)
+      response = @r53_connection.get_hosted_zone(@zone_id)
       if response.status == 200
         zone = response.body['HostedZone']
         zone_id = zone['Id']
@@ -108,7 +84,7 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
 
         # AWS returns domain with a dot at end - so when compare, remove dot
 
-        if (zone_id == @zone_id) and (name.chop == @test_domain) and (caller_ref.length > 0) and
+        if (zone_id == @zone_id) and (name.chop == @domain_name) and (caller_ref.length > 0) and
            (ns_servers.count > 0)
            result = true
         end
@@ -122,12 +98,12 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
 
       result = false
 
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].list_hosted_zones()
+      response = @r53_connection.list_hosted_zones
       if response.status == 200
 
         zones= response.body['HostedZones']
         if (zones.count > 0)
-          zone= zones[0]
+          zone = zones[0]
           zone_id = zone['Id']
           zone_name= zone['Name']
           caller_ref = zone['CallerReference']
@@ -146,18 +122,16 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
     test("add a A resource record") {
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
-      result = false
-
       # create an A resource record
-      host = 'www.' + @test_domain
+      host = 'www.' + @domain_name
       ip_addrs = ['1.2.3.4']
       resource_record = { :name => host, :type => 'A', :ttl => 3600, :resource_records => ip_addrs }
-      resource_record_set = resource_record.merge( :action => 'CREATE')
+      resource_record_set = resource_record.merge(:action => 'CREATE')
 
       change_batch = []
       change_batch << resource_record_set
       options = { :comment => 'add A record to domain'}
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].change_resource_record_sets( @zone_id, change_batch, options)
+      response = @r53_connection.change_resource_record_sets(@zone_id, change_batch, options)
       if response.status == 200
         change_id = response.body['Id']
         status = response.body['Status']
@@ -170,18 +144,16 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
     test("add a CNAME resource record") {
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
-      result = false
-
       # create a CNAME resource record
-      host = 'mail.' + @test_domain
-      value = ['www.' + @test_domain]
+      host = 'mail.' + @domain_name
+      value = ['www.' + @domain_name]
       resource_record = { :name => host, :type => 'CNAME', :ttl => 3600, :resource_records => value }
-      resource_record_set = resource_record.merge( :action => 'CREATE')
+      resource_record_set = resource_record.merge(:action => 'CREATE')
 
       change_batch = []
       change_batch << resource_record_set
       options = { :comment => 'add CNAME record to domain'}
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].change_resource_record_sets( @zone_id, change_batch, options)
+      response = @r53_connection.change_resource_record_sets( @zone_id, change_batch, options)
       if response.status == 200
         change_id = response.body['Id']
         status = response.body['Status']
@@ -194,18 +166,16 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
     test("add a MX resource record") {
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
-      result = false
-
       # create a MX resource record
-      host = @test_domain
-      value = ['7 mail.' + @test_domain]
+      host = @domain_name
+      value = ['7 mail.' + @domain_name]
       resource_record = { :name => host, :type => 'MX', :ttl => 3600, :resource_records => value }
       resource_record_set = resource_record.merge( :action => 'CREATE')
 
       change_batch = []
       change_batch << resource_record_set
       options = { :comment => 'add MX record to domain'}
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].change_resource_record_sets( @zone_id, change_batch, options)
+      response = @r53_connection.change_resource_record_sets( @zone_id, change_batch, options)
       if response.status == 200
         change_id = response.body['Id']
         status = response.body['Status']
@@ -220,18 +190,17 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
 
       # create a load balancer
       @elb_connection.create_load_balancer(["us-east-1a"], "fog", [{"Protocol" => "HTTP", "LoadBalancerPort" => "80", "InstancePort" => "80"}])
+
       elb_response   = @elb_connection.describe_load_balancers("fog")
       elb            = elb_response.body["DescribeLoadBalancersResult"]["LoadBalancerDescriptions"].first
       hosted_zone_id = elb["CanonicalHostedZoneNameID"]
       dns_name       = elb["DNSName"]
 
-      result = false
-
       # create an ALIAS record
-      host = @test_domain
+      host = @domain_name
       alias_target = {
-        hosted_zone_id: hosted_zone_id,
-        dns_name:       dns_name
+        :hosted_zone_id => hosted_zone_id,
+        :dns_name       => dns_name
       }
       resource_record = { :name => host, :type => 'A', :alias_target => alias_target }
       resource_record_set = resource_record.merge(:action => 'CREATE')
@@ -239,7 +208,13 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
       change_batch = []
       change_batch << resource_record_set
       options = { :comment => 'add ALIAS record to domain'}
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].change_resource_record_sets(@zone_id, change_batch, options)
+
+      puts "Hosted Zone ID (ELB): #{hosted_zone_id}"
+      puts "DNS Name (ELB): #{dns_name}"
+      puts "Zone ID for Route 53: #{@zone_id}"
+
+      sleep 120
+      response = @r53_connection.change_resource_record_sets(@zone_id, change_batch, options)
       if response.status == 200
         change_id = response.body['Id']
         status = response.body['Status']
@@ -253,7 +228,7 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
       pending if Fog.mocking?
 
       # get resource records for zone
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].list_resource_record_sets( @zone_id)
+      response = @r53_connection.list_resource_record_sets( @zone_id)
       if response.status == 200
         record_sets= response.body['ResourceRecordSets']
         num_records= record_sets.count
@@ -273,7 +248,7 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
         change_batch << resource_record_set
       }
       options = { :comment => 'remove records from domain'}
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].change_resource_record_sets(@zone_id, change_batch, options)
+      response = @r53_connection.change_resource_record_sets(@zone_id, change_batch, options)
       if response.status != 200
         result = false
         break
@@ -288,7 +263,7 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
       # cleanup the ELB as well
       @elb_connection.delete_load_balancer("fog")
 
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].delete_hosted_zone(@zone_id)
+      response = @r53_connection.delete_hosted_zone(@zone_id)
 
       response.status == 200
     }
@@ -296,16 +271,16 @@ Shindo.tests('Fog::DNS[:aws] | DNS requests', ['aws', 'dns']) do
   end
 
 
-  tests( 'failure') do
+  tests('failure') do
     tests('create hosted zone using invalid domain name').raises(Excon::Errors::BadRequest) do
       pending if Fog.mocking?
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].create_hosted_zone('invalid-domain')
+      response = @r53_connection.create_hosted_zone('invalid-domain')
     end
 
     tests('get hosted zone using invalid ID').raises(Excon::Errors::Forbidden) do
       pending if Fog.mocking?
       zone_id = 'dummy-id'
-      response = Fog::DNS[:aws].get_hosted_zone(zone_id)
+      response = @r53_connection.get_hosted_zone(zone_id)
     end
 
   end