diff --git a/tests/plugin_http_api_test.py b/tests/plugin_http_api_test.py
index 7b4f875ee1..85b9c8210a 100755
--- a/tests/plugin_http_api_test.py
+++ b/tests/plugin_http_api_test.py
@@ -886,43 +886,7 @@ def test_NetApi(self) :
     # test all producer api
     def test_ProducerApi(self) :
         resource = "producer"
-        endpoint=self.endpoint("producer_rw")
-        # pause with empty parameter
-        command = "pause"
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
-        # pause with empty content parameter
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
-        # pause with invalid parameter
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
-
-        # resume with empty parameter
-        command = "resume"
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
-        # resume with empty content parameter
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
-        # resume with invalid parameter
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
-
         endpoint=self.endpoint("producer_ro")
-        # paused with empty parameter
-        command = "paused"
-        ret_str = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, returnType=ReturnType.raw, endpoint=endpoint).decode('ascii')
-        self.assertEqual(ret_str, "false")
-        # paused with empty content parameter
-        ret_str = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, returnType=ReturnType.raw, endpoint=endpoint).decode('ascii')
-        self.assertEqual(ret_str, "false")
-        # paused with invalid parameter
-        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
-        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
 
         # get_runtime_options with empty parameter
         command = "get_runtime_options"
@@ -954,12 +918,20 @@ def test_ProducerApi(self) :
         payload = {"max_transaction_time":30,
                    "max_irreversible_block_age":1,
                    "cpu_effort_us":400000,
-                   "max_scheduled_transaction_time_per_block_ms":10000,
                    "subjective_cpu_leeway_us":0,
-                   "incoming_defer_ratio":1.0,
                    "greylist_limit":100}
         ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, payload, endpoint=endpoint)
         self.assertIn(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
+        # restore runtime options to default values such that future tests are not impacted
+        # by the modified values of last test (max_irreversible_block_age: 1 can make producer
+        # plugin stuck in speculative mode)
+        payload = {"max_transaction_time":499,
+                   "max_irreversible_block_age":-1,
+                   "cpu_effort_us":400000,
+                   "subjective_cpu_leeway_us":31000,
+                   "greylist_limit":1000}
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, payload, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertIn(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
 
         # add_greylist_accounts with empty parameter
         command = "add_greylist_accounts"
@@ -1176,6 +1148,47 @@ def test_ProducerApi(self) :
         ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, payload, endpoint=endpoint)
         self.assertIn("trxs", ret_json["payload"])
 
+        # place pause and resume tests at the end such that they are not impacted
+        # by update_runtime_options
+
+        endpoint=self.endpoint("producer_rw") # pause and resume are in producer_rw category
+        # pause with empty parameter
+        command = "pause"
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
+        # pause with empty content parameter
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
+        # pause with invalid parameter
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
+
+        # resume with empty parameter
+        command = "resume"
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
+        # resume with empty content parameter
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["payload"]["result"], "ok")
+        # resume with invalid parameter
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
+
+        endpoint=self.endpoint("producer_ro")
+        # paused with empty parameter
+        command = "paused"
+        ret_str = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, returnType=ReturnType.raw, endpoint=endpoint).decode('ascii')
+        self.assertEqual(ret_str, "false")
+        # paused with empty content parameter
+        ret_str = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.empty_content_dict, returnType=ReturnType.raw, endpoint=endpoint).decode('ascii')
+        self.assertEqual(ret_str, "false")
+        # paused with invalid parameter
+        ret_json = self.nodeos.processUrllibRequest(resource, command, self.http_post_invalid_param, endpoint=endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["code"], 400)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_json["error"]["code"], 3200006)
+
     # test all wallet api
     def test_WalletApi(self) :
         endpoint = self.base_wallet_cmd_str