diff --git a/my/reddit/rexport.py b/my/reddit/rexport.py
index 5c4d045..113b095 100755
--- a/my/reddit/rexport.py
+++ b/my/reddit/rexport.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def _get_state(bfile: Path) -> Dict[Uid, SaveWithDt]:
 
 # TODO hmm. think about it.. if we set default backups=inputs()
 # it's called early so it ends up as a global variable that we can't monkey patch easily
-@mcachew
+@mcachew(lambda backups: backups)
 def _get_events(backups: Sequence[Path], parallel: bool=True) -> Iterator[Event]:
     # todo cachew: let it transform return type? so you don't have to write a wrapper for lists?
 
diff --git a/testdata/hpi-testdata b/testdata/hpi-testdata
index bcd45b6..79c23e1 160000
--- a/testdata/hpi-testdata
+++ b/testdata/hpi-testdata
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit bcd45b64669bc94849a585b14a09a5d07f60915a
+Subproject commit 79c23e1b88d22f4ee740af21bbd7a237ad0a4165
diff --git a/tests/reddit.py b/tests/reddit.py
index b0dd47a..a7b4265 100644
--- a/tests/reddit.py
+++ b/tests/reddit.py
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
-from .common import skip_if_not_karlicoss as pytestmark
-
 from datetime import datetime
 import pytz
 
-from my.common import make_dict
 
-
-def test() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import events, inputs, saved
-    list(events())
-    list(saved())
+def test_basic() -> None:
+    # todo maybe this should call stat or something instead?
+    # would ensure reasonable stat implementation as well and less duplication
+    # note: deliberately use old module (instead of my.reddit.all) to test bwd compatibility
+    from my.reddit import saved, events
+    assert len(list(events())) > 0
+    assert len(list(saved())) > 0
 
 
 def test_unfav() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import events, inputs, saved
+    from my.reddit import events, saved
     ev = events()
     url = 'https://reddit.com/r/QuantifiedSelf/comments/acxy1v/personal_dashboard/'
     uev = [e for e in ev if e.url == url]
@@ -26,15 +25,17 @@ def test_unfav() -> None:
 
 
 def test_saves() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import events, inputs, saved
-    # TODO not sure if this is necesasry anymore?
+    from my.reddit.all import saved
     saves = list(saved())
-    # just check that they are unique..
+    assert len(saves) > 0
+
+    # just check that they are unique (makedict will throw)
+    from my.core.common import make_dict
     make_dict(saves, key=lambda s: s.sid)
 
 
 def test_disappearing() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import events, inputs, saved
+    from my.reddit.rexport import events
     # eh. so for instance, 'metro line colors' is missing from reddit-20190402005024.json for no reason
     # but I guess it was just a short glitch... so whatever
     saves = events()
@@ -44,29 +45,33 @@ def test_disappearing() -> None:
 
 
 def test_unfavorite() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import events, inputs, saved
+    from my.reddit.rexport import events
     evs = events()
     unfavs = [s for s in evs if s.text == 'unfavorited']
     [xxx] = [u for u in unfavs if u.eid == 'unf-19ifop']
-    assert xxx.dt == datetime(2019, 1, 28, 8, 10, 20, tzinfo=pytz.utc)
+    assert xxx.dt == datetime(2019, 1, 29, 10, 10, 20, tzinfo=pytz.utc)
 
 
-def test_extra_attr() -> None:
-    from my.reddit.rexport import config
-    assert isinstance(getattr(config, 'passthrough'), str)
+def test_preserves_extra_attr() -> None:
+    # doesn't strictly belong here (not specific to reddit)
+    # but my.reddit does a fair bit of dyunamic hacking, so perhaps a good place to check nothing is lost
+    from my.reddit import config
+    assert isinstance(getattr(config, 'please_keep_me'), str)
 
 
 import pytest # type: ignore
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope='module')
 def prepare():
-    from my.common import get_files
-    from my.config import reddit as config
-    # since these are only tested locally, the config should be fine
-    # just need to make sure local config matches that in my.config properly
-    files = get_files(config.rexport.export_path)
-    # use less files for the test to make it faster
-    # first bit is for 'test_unfavorite, the second is for test_disappearing
-    files = files[300:330] + files[500:520]
-    config.export_dir = files # type: ignore
+    from .common import testdata
+    data = testdata() / 'hpi-testdata' / 'reddit'
+    assert data.exists(), data
 
-    setattr(config, 'passthrough', "isn't handled, but available dynamically nevertheless")
+    # note: deliberately using old config schema so we can test migrations
+    class test_config:
+        export_dir = data
+        please_keep_me = 'whatever'
+
+    from my.core.cfg import tmp_config
+    with tmp_config() as config:
+        config.reddit = test_config
+        yield
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 5f0f6f1..64e1ab3 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ commands =
 
     hpi module install my.pdfs
 
+    hpi module install my.reddit.rexport
+
     python3 -m pytest tests \
             # ignore some tests which might take a while to run on ci..
             --ignore tests/takeout.py        \