diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 53a52e6ac20145666f8fda61788dff4189250d65..eecd53784b59a3a3a0fa97fda19f685f178def25 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -7,18 +7,22 @@ variables:
 
   OUTPUT_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/outputs/"
   TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR: "/storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/test_workspace/"
-  FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE:
-    value: "default"
-    options:
-      - "default"
-      - "today"
-      - "yesterday"
-      - "custom"
-    description: "Full-fat tests will pull data from the deployment environment. For robustness, the default option is a
-    pre-selected date we know works. Select \"today\" or \"yesterday\" to test with recent live data. If \"custom\" is 
-    selected, manually enter the key value pair using the format in this example: CUSTOM_RUN_DATE 20230115"
+#  FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE:
+#    value: "default"
+#    options:
+#      - "default"
+#      - "today"
+#      - "yesterday"
+#      - "custom"
+#    description: "Full-fat tests will pull data from the deployment environment. For robustness, the default option is a
+#    pre-selected date we know works. Select \"today\" or \"yesterday\" to test with recent live data. If \"custom\" is
+#    selected, manually enter the key value pair using the format in this example: CUSTOM_RUN_DATE 20230115"
 
-  CUSTOM_RUN_DATE: "NOT_SET"
+  CUSTOM_RUN_DATE:
+    value: "20231127"
+    description: "Full-fat tests will pull data from the deployment environment. For robustness, the default option is a
+    pre-selected date we know works. To override the default date, manually enter the key value pair using the format 
+    in this example e.g.: CUSTOM_RUN_DATE 20230115"
 
 cache:
   paths:
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ stages:
       - echo "output dir - " $OUTPUT_DIR
       - echo "packages dir - " $PACKAGES_DIR
       - echo "pip dir - " $PIP_CACHE_DIR
-      - echo "full-fat run date - " $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      - echo "full-fat run date type - " FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       - echo "custom full-fat run date - " $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
 
       - source /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/venv/ews_prod/bin/activate
@@ -120,7 +124,7 @@ full_fat_depo:
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
       --test_report_dir $CI_PROJECT_DIR/test_reports
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
 
 full_fat_env_suit:
@@ -137,7 +141,7 @@ full_fat_env_suit:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/env_suit_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
 
 full_fat_survey:
@@ -154,7 +158,7 @@ full_fat_survey:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/survey_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
 
 full_fat_advisory:
@@ -166,13 +170,14 @@ full_fat_advisory:
     - >
       cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR/tests/integration/full/
 
+      SURVEY_RUN_DATE=$(date -d "$CUSTOM_RUN_DATE -1 day" +%Y%m%d)
+
       python3 full_test_survey.py 
       --sys_config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/sys_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/survey_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
-      --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
+      --custom_run_date $SURVEY_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_2024-07-11_102855"
 
       python3 full_test_deposition.py 
@@ -181,7 +186,6 @@ full_fat_advisory:
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
       --test_report_dir $CI_PROJECT_DIR/test_reports
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_2024-07-11_102855"
 
@@ -190,7 +194,6 @@ full_fat_advisory:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/env_suit_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_2024-07-11_102855"
       
@@ -199,7 +202,6 @@ full_fat_advisory:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/advisory_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_2024-07-11_102855"
 
@@ -217,7 +219,7 @@ full_fat_epi:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/survey_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_$RUN_TIME"
 
@@ -227,7 +229,7 @@ full_fat_epi:
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
       --test_report_dir $CI_PROJECT_DIR/test_reports
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_$RUN_TIME"
 
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ full_fat_epi:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/env_suit_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_$RUN_TIME"
 
@@ -245,7 +247,7 @@ full_fat_epi:
       --config /storage/app/EWS_prod/regions/EastAfrica/resources/configs/coordinator/fc/epi_config_EastAfrica_fc_live.json
       --outdir ${TEST_WORKSPACE_DIR}/integration/full/
       --email_cred /storage/app/EWS_prod/envs/credentials/Cred_gmail.json
-      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE
+      --run_date_type $FULL_FAT_RUN_DATE_TYPE
       --custom_run_date $CUSTOM_RUN_DATE
       --custom_dir_prefix "temp_advisory_$RUN_TIME"
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/full/full_test_advisory.py b/tests/integration/full/full_test_advisory.py
index 46bd3ad8f841144ee3b9c05c6b2dd4b3a654d45e..1e9e235ce8cd0be6c19752d2bcab7f716a4e899f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/full/full_test_advisory.py
+++ b/tests/integration/full/full_test_advisory.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class FullTestAdvisory(BaseAdvisoryTestSuite.AdvisoryTestSuite):
             # FullTestAdvisory.run_dependent_pipelines()
             FullTestAdvisory.run_advisory_pipeline()
         else:
-            string = f"output in {IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_OUT_PATH} already written, skipping rerun"
+            string = f"output in {IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_JOB_DIR} already written, skipping rerun"
             print(string)
             i = 0
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/partial/integration_test_utils.py b/tests/integration/partial/integration_test_utils.py
index c1d00db19463a9a0f136bca9de039a9e7cedb0f1..21688d5944b6265a96fd65460923f1945a369041 100644
--- a/tests/integration/partial/integration_test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/integration/partial/integration_test_utils.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class IntegrationTestUtils:
         parser.add_argument('--outdir', required = True)
         parser.add_argument('--email_cred', required = True)
         parser.add_argument('--test_report_dir', required = False)
-        parser.add_argument('--run_date_type', required = False)
+        # parser.add_argument('--run_date_type', required = False)
         parser.add_argument('--custom_run_date', required = False)
         parser.add_argument('--custom_dir_prefix', required = False, help = "prefix for the test dir, a sensible value will be set as default")
         parser.add_argument('unittest_args', nargs='*')
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class IntegrationTestUtils:
         _outdir: str = _args.outdir
         _email_cred_path: str = _args.email_cred
         _test_report_dir: str = _args.test_report_dir
-        _run_date_type: str = _args.run_date_type
+        # _run_date_type: str = _args.run_date_type
         _custom_run_date: str = _args.custom_run_date
         _custom_dir_prefix: str = _args.custom_dir_prefix
 
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ class IntegrationTestUtils:
         IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_OUT_PATH = _outdir + prefix + os.sep
         IntegrationTestUtils.EMAIL_CRED_PATH = _email_cred_path
 
-        IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_START_DATE = IntegrationTestUtils.generate_run_date(_run_date_type,
-                                                                                      _custom_run_date)
+        IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_START_DATE = _custom_run_date
 
         IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_JOB_DIR = os.path.join(IntegrationTestUtils.TEST_OUT_PATH,
                                                          f"{processor_dir}_" +
@@ -285,25 +284,25 @@ class IntegrationTestUtils:
         return yesterday_string
 
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def generate_run_date(run_date_type: str,
-                          custom_run_date: str) -> str:
-
-        if run_date_type == "today":
-            print("today")
-            today = datetime.date.today()
-            today_string = today.strftime("%Y%m%d")
-            result = today_string
-        elif run_date_type == "yesterday":
-            print("yesterday")
-            today = datetime.date.today()
-            yesterday: datetime = today - datetime.timedelta(days = 1)
-            yesterday_string = yesterday.strftime("%Y%m%d")
-            result = yesterday_string
-        elif run_date_type == "custom":
-            result = custom_run_date
-        else:
-            print("default")
-            result = "20231127"
-
-        return result
+    # @staticmethod
+    # def generate_run_date(run_date_type: str,
+    #                       custom_run_date: str) -> str:
+    #
+    #     if run_date_type == "today":
+    #         print("today")
+    #         today = datetime.date.today()
+    #         today_string = today.strftime("%Y%m%d")
+    #         result = today_string
+    #     elif run_date_type == "yesterday":
+    #         print("yesterday")
+    #         today = datetime.date.today()
+    #         yesterday: datetime = today - datetime.timedelta(days = 1)
+    #         yesterday_string = yesterday.strftime("%Y%m%d")
+    #         result = yesterday_string
+    #     elif run_date_type == "custom":
+    #         result = custom_run_date
+    #     else:
+    #         print("default")
+    #         result = "20231127"
+    #
+    #     return result