diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_instance.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_instance.py
index b840ba7f29..c65cea0c01 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_instance.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_instance.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import pytest
 from unittest import mock
 
 from awx.api.versioning import reverse
+from awx.main.models.activity_stream import ActivityStream
 from awx.main.models.ha import Instance
 
 import redis
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ INSTANCE_KWARGS = dict(hostname='example-host', cpu=6, memory=36000000000, cpu_c
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_disabled_zeros_capacity(patch, admin_user):
     instance = Instance.objects.create(**INSTANCE_KWARGS)
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.filter(instance=instance).count() == 1
 
     url = reverse('api:instance_detail', kwargs={'pk': instance.pk})
 
@@ -25,12 +27,14 @@ def test_disabled_zeros_capacity(patch, admin_user):
 
     instance.refresh_from_db()
     assert instance.capacity == 0
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.filter(instance=instance).count() == 2
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_enabled_sets_capacity(patch, admin_user):
     instance = Instance.objects.create(enabled=False, capacity=0, **INSTANCE_KWARGS)
     assert instance.capacity == 0
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.filter(instance=instance).count() == 1
 
     url = reverse('api:instance_detail', kwargs={'pk': instance.pk})
 
@@ -39,6 +43,7 @@ def test_enabled_sets_capacity(patch, admin_user):
 
     instance.refresh_from_db()
     assert instance.capacity > 0
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.filter(instance=instance).count() == 2
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/models/test_activity_stream.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/models/test_activity_stream.py
index bc6c3e8c51..f8ae40b540 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/models/test_activity_stream.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/models/test_activity_stream.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def test_activity_stream_actor(admin_user):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
-def test_annon_user_action():
+def test_anon_user_action():
     with mock.patch('awx.main.signals.get_current_user') as u_mock:
         u_mock.return_value = AnonymousUser()
         inv = Inventory.objects.create(name='ainventory')
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_instances.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_instances.py
index a0a06b4ae5..21a17ff2b5 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_instances.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_instances.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import pytest
 from unittest import mock
 
 from awx.main.models import AdHocCommand, InventoryUpdate, JobTemplate, ProjectUpdate
+from awx.main.models.activity_stream import ActivityStream
 from awx.main.models.ha import Instance, InstanceGroup
 from awx.main.tasks import apply_cluster_membership_policies
 from awx.api.versioning import reverse
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ def test_instance_dup(org_admin, organization, project, instance_factory, instan
     i1 = instance_factory("i1")
     i2 = instance_factory("i2")
     i3 = instance_factory("i3")
+
     ig_all = instance_group_factory("all", instances=[i1, i2, i3])
     ig_dup = instance_group_factory("duplicates", instances=[i1])
     project.organization.instance_groups.add(ig_all, ig_dup)
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ def test_instance_dup(org_admin, organization, project, instance_factory, instan
     api_num_instances_oa = list(list_response2.data.items())[0][1]
 
     assert actual_num_instances == api_num_instances_auditor
-    # Note: The org_admin will not see the default 'tower' node (instance fixture) because it is not in it's group, as expected
+    # Note: The org_admin will not see the default 'tower' node (instance fixture) because it is not in its group, as expected
     assert api_num_instances_oa == (actual_num_instances - 1)
 
 
@@ -94,7 +96,13 @@ def test_policy_instance_few_instances(instance_factory, instance_group_factory)
     ig_2 = instance_group_factory("ig2", percentage=25)
     ig_3 = instance_group_factory("ig3", percentage=25)
     ig_4 = instance_group_factory("ig4", percentage=25)
+
+    count = ActivityStream.objects.count()
+
     apply_cluster_membership_policies()
+    # running apply_cluster_membership_policies shouldn't spam the activity stream
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.count() == count
+
     assert len(ig_1.instances.all()) == 1
     assert i1 in ig_1.instances.all()
     assert len(ig_2.instances.all()) == 1
@@ -103,8 +111,12 @@ def test_policy_instance_few_instances(instance_factory, instance_group_factory)
     assert i1 in ig_3.instances.all()
     assert len(ig_4.instances.all()) == 1
     assert i1 in ig_4.instances.all()
+
     i2 = instance_factory("i2")
+    count += 1
     apply_cluster_membership_policies()
+    assert ActivityStream.objects.count() == count
+
     assert len(ig_1.instances.all()) == 1
     assert i1 in ig_1.instances.all()
     assert len(ig_2.instances.all()) == 1