diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/src/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/src/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker.erl
index 84a4e6d13..6b64a02e9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/src/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/src/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker.erl
@@ -478,7 +478,6 @@ do_pull_async(State0) ->
             Body = body(State0, pull),
             PreparedRequest = {prepared_request, {Method, Path, Body}},
             ReplyFunAndArgs = {fun ?MODULE:reply_delegator/4, [self(), pull_async, InstanceId]},
-            %% `ehttpc_pool'/`gproc_pool' might return `false' if there are no workers...
             Res = emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_client:query_async(
                 PreparedRequest,
                 ReplyFunAndArgs,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
index d82a61fee..7e90ab48a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ consumer_config(TestCase, Config) ->
             "  resource_opts {\n"
             "    health_check_interval = \"1s\"\n"
             %% to fail and retry pulling faster
-            "    request_ttl = \"5s\"\n"
+            "    request_ttl = \"1s\"\n"
             "  }\n"
             "}\n",
             [
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ start_control_client() ->
             connect_timeout => 5_000,
             max_retries => 0,
             pool_size => 1,
-            resource_opts => #{request_ttl => 5_000},
+            resource_opts => #{request_ttl => 1_000},
             service_account_json => RawServiceAccount
         },
     PoolName = <<"control_connector">>,
@@ -512,10 +512,16 @@ wait_acked(Opts) ->
     %% no need to check return value; we check the property in
     %% the check phase.  this is just to give it a chance to do
     %% so and avoid flakiness.  should be fast.
-    snabbkaffe:block_until(
+    Res = snabbkaffe:block_until(
         ?match_n_events(N, #{?snk_kind := gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker_acknowledged}),
         Timeout
     ),
+    case Res of
+        {ok, _} ->
+            ok;
+        {timeout, Evts} ->
+            ct:pal("timed out waiting for acks; received:\n  ~p", [Evts])
+    end,
     ok.
 
 wait_forgotten() ->
@@ -1265,11 +1271,12 @@ t_multiple_pull_workers(Config) ->
                     <<"consumer">> => #{
                         %% reduce flakiness
                         <<"ack_deadline">> => <<"10m">>,
+                        <<"ack_retry_interval">> => <<"1s">>,
                         <<"consumer_workers_per_topic">> => NConsumers
                     },
                     <<"resource_opts">> => #{
                         %% reduce flakiness
-                        <<"request_ttl">> => <<"15s">>
+                        <<"request_ttl">> => <<"11s">>
                     }
                 }
             ),
@@ -1531,11 +1538,12 @@ t_async_worker_death_mid_pull(Config) ->
                         ct:pal("published message"),
 
                         AsyncWorkerPids = get_async_worker_pids(Config),
+                        Timeout = 20_000,
                         emqx_utils:pmap(
                             fun(AsyncWorkerPid) ->
                                 Ref = monitor(process, AsyncWorkerPid),
                                 ct:pal("killing pid ~p", [AsyncWorkerPid]),
-                                sys:terminate(AsyncWorkerPid, die, 20_000),
+                                sys:terminate(AsyncWorkerPid, die, Timeout),
                                 receive
                                     {'DOWN', Ref, process, AsyncWorkerPid, _} ->
                                         ct:pal("killed pid ~p", [AsyncWorkerPid]),
@@ -1544,7 +1552,8 @@ t_async_worker_death_mid_pull(Config) ->
                                 end,
                                 ok
                             end,
-                            AsyncWorkerPids
+                            AsyncWorkerPids,
+                            Timeout + 2_000
                         ),
 
                         ok
@@ -1558,7 +1567,13 @@ t_async_worker_death_mid_pull(Config) ->
                 ?wait_async_action(
                     create_bridge(
                         Config,
-                        #{<<"pool_size">> => 1}
+                        #{
+                            <<"pool_size">> => 1,
+                            <<"consumer">> => #{
+                                <<"ack_deadline">> => <<"10s">>,
+                                <<"ack_retry_interval">> => <<"1s">>
+                            }
+                        }
                     ),
                     #{?snk_kind := gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker_init},
                     10_000
@@ -1888,7 +1903,10 @@ t_connection_down_during_ack(Config) ->
 
             {{ok, _}, {ok, _}} =
                 ?wait_async_action(
-                    create_bridge(Config),
+                    create_bridge(
+                        Config,
+                        #{<<"consumer">> => #{<<"ack_retry_interval">> => <<"1s">>}}
+                    ),
                     #{?snk_kind := "gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker_subscription_ready"},
                     10_000
                 ),
@@ -2026,7 +2044,13 @@ t_connection_down_during_pull(Config) ->
 
             {{ok, _}, {ok, _}} =
                 ?wait_async_action(
-                    create_bridge(Config),
+                    create_bridge(
+                        Config,
+                        #{
+                            <<"consumer">> => #{<<"ack_retry_interval">> => <<"1s">>},
+                            <<"resource_opts">> => #{<<"request_ttl">> => <<"11s">>}
+                        }
+                    ),
                     #{?snk_kind := "gcp_pubsub_consumer_worker_subscription_ready"},
                     10_000
                 ),