diff --git a/lfs3.c b/lfs3.c
index 167234bf..5936b1d5 100644
--- a/lfs3.c
+++ b/lfs3.c
@@ -10812,6 +10812,7 @@ static int lfs3_alloc_rebuildbmap(lfs3_t *lfs3);
 #if !defined(LFS3_RDONLY)
 static inline void lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3_t *lfs3) {
     #ifndef LFS3_2BONLY
+    // checkpoint the allocator
     lfs3->lookahead.ckpoint = lfs3->block_count;
     #ifdef LFS3_BMAP
     // do we need to rebuild the bmap?
@@ -10821,6 +10822,8 @@ static inline void lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3_t *lfs3) {
         int err = lfs3_alloc_rebuildbmap(lfs3);
         // TODO lfs3_alloc_ckpoint should propagate errors
         LFS3_ASSERT(!err);
+//        // checkpoint the allocator again after rebuilding the bmap
+//        lfs3->lookahead.ckpoint = lfs3->block_count;
     }
     #endif
     #else
@@ -11497,13 +11500,10 @@ int lfs3_mkdir(lfs3_t *lfs3, const char *path) {
             ? tag_ >= 0
             : tag_ == LFS3_ERR_NOENT);
 
-    // TODO should we have a GRMPOP rattr? to match GRMPUSH? The fact that
-    // lfs3_mdir_commit implicitly reverts grms is a bit counterintuitive
-    // 
     // commit our new directory into our parent, zeroing the grm in the
     // process
-    lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3);
     lfs3_grm_pop(lfs3);
+    lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3);
     err = lfs3_mdir_commit(lfs3, &mdir, LFS3_RATTRS(
             LFS3_RATTR_NAME(
                 LFS3_TAG_MASK12 | LFS3_TAG_DIR,
@@ -16560,10 +16560,10 @@ static int lfs3_fs_fixgrm(lfs3_t *lfs3) {
         // we need to revert manually on error
         lfs3_grm_t grm_p = lfs3->grm;
 
-        // checkpoint the allocator
-        lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3);
         // mark grm as taken care of
         lfs3_grm_pop(lfs3);
+        // checkpoint the allocator
+        lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(lfs3);
         // remove the rid while atomically updating our grm
         err = lfs3_mdir_commit(lfs3, &mdir, LFS3_RATTRS(
                 LFS3_RATTR(LFS3_TAG_RM, -1)));
diff --git a/tests/test_alloc.toml b/tests/test_alloc.toml
index 8e335ab2..69ac589f 100644
--- a/tests/test_alloc.toml
+++ b/tests/test_alloc.toml
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@
 #
 after = ['test_mtree', 'test_bmap', 'test_dirs', 'test_files']
 
-# TODO bmap workaround?
-ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
+# TODO should we rename these to test_lookahead?
+# TODO or extend to test the bmap as well?
+#
+# these are really tuned to test the lookahead allocator
+#ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
 
 # test that we can alloc
 [cases.test_alloc_alloc]
@@ -23,6 +26,7 @@ defines.COUNT = [
     '2',
 ]
 defines.ERASE = [false, true]
+if = 'COUNT >= LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(3, 2)'
 in = 'lfs3.c'
 code = '''
     // test various block counts
@@ -49,9 +53,11 @@ code = '''
     }
 
     // excluding our mroot, we should have allocated exactly
-    // block_count-2 blocks
+    // block_count-2 blocks (this gets more complicated with a bmap)
     printf("alloced %d/%d blocks\n", alloced, (lfs3_block_t)COUNT);
+    #ifndef LFS3_BMAP
     assert(alloced == COUNT-2);
+    #endif
 
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
@@ -67,6 +73,7 @@ defines.COUNT = [
     '2',
 ]
 defines.ERASE = [false, true]
+if = 'COUNT >= LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(3, 2)'
 in = 'lfs3.c'
 code = '''
     // test various block counts
@@ -93,9 +100,11 @@ code = '''
     }
 
     // excluding our mroot, we should have allocated exactly
-    // block_count-2 blocks
+    // block_count-2 blocks (this gets more complicated with a bmap)
     printf("alloced %d/%d blocks\n", alloced, (lfs3_block_t)COUNT);
+    #ifndef LFS3_BMAP
     assert(alloced == COUNT-2);
+    #endif
 
     // ack again, effectively releasing all the previously alloced blocks
     lfs3_alloc_ckpoint(&lfs3);
@@ -114,9 +123,11 @@ code = '''
     }
 
     // excluding our mroot, we should have allocated exactly
-    // block_count-2 blocks
+    // block_count-2 blocks (this gets more complicated with a bmap)
     printf("alloced %d/%d blocks\n", alloced, (lfs3_block_t)COUNT);
+    #ifndef LFS3_BMAP
     assert(alloced == COUNT-2);
+    #endif
 
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
@@ -648,6 +659,7 @@ defines.COUNT = [
     '5',
     '2',
 ]
+if = 'COUNT >= LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(3, 2)'
 code = '''
     // test various block counts
     struct lfs3_cfg cfg = *CFG;
@@ -730,6 +742,7 @@ defines.SIZE = [
     '2*BLOCK_SIZE',
     '8*BLOCK_SIZE',
 ]
+if = 'COUNT >= LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(3, 2)'
 code = '''
     // test various block counts
     struct lfs3_cfg cfg = *CFG;
diff --git a/tests/test_btree.toml b/tests/test_btree.toml
index 9495828b..1e042e42 100644
--- a/tests/test_btree.toml
+++ b/tests/test_btree.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Test the mid-level B-trees
 after = 'test_rbyd'
 
-# TODO bmap workaround?
+# don't bother testing with more complicated block allocators
 ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
 
 # maximize lookahead buffer, we don't actually gc so we only get one pass
diff --git a/tests/test_gc.toml b/tests/test_gc.toml
index 1438a6ec..b364a454 100644
--- a/tests/test_gc.toml
+++ b/tests/test_gc.toml
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 # GC-API specific things here
 after = ['test_trvs']
 
-# TODO bmap workaround?
-ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
-
 # test that lookahead can make progress in isolation
 [cases.test_gc_lookahead_progress]
 defines.CKMETA = [false, true]
@@ -1461,7 +1458,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 | LFS3_I_CKMETA
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // run gc
     if (AFTER == 0) {
@@ -1576,7 +1574,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!COMPACT) ? LFS3_I_COMPACT : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
@@ -1650,7 +1649,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 | LFS3_I_CKMETA
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // run gc
     if (AFTER == 0) {
@@ -1765,7 +1765,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!COMPACT) ? LFS3_I_COMPACT : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // test that we can reset flags with lfs3_fs_unck
     lfs3_fs_unck(&lfs3, GC_FLAGS) => 0;
@@ -1779,7 +1780,8 @@ code = '''
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta, but uncking ckdata does
                 // _not_ imply uncking ckmeta
                 | ((!(CKDATA && !CKMETA)) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // run gc
     if (AFTER == 0) {
@@ -1894,7 +1896,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!COMPACT) ? LFS3_I_COMPACT : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
diff --git a/tests/test_mount.toml b/tests/test_mount.toml
index 0bcdb634..e07a514b 100644
--- a/tests/test_mount.toml
+++ b/tests/test_mount.toml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 # Advanced mount tests
 after = ['test_mtree', 'test_trvs']
 
-# TODO bmap workaround?
-ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
-
 
 # test we can mount
 [cases.test_mount_simple]
@@ -89,7 +86,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!COMPACT) ? LFS3_I_COMPACT : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
@@ -156,7 +154,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 | LFS3_I_CKMETA
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 
     // with LFS3_M_LOOKAHEAD, mount performs a lookahead scan
@@ -172,7 +171,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 '''
 
@@ -227,7 +227,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 | LFS3_I_CKMETA
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 
     // with LFS3_M_COMPACT, mount compact any uncompacted blocks
@@ -244,7 +245,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!LOOKAHEAD) ? LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // mdir should have been compacted
     lfs3_file_open(&lfs3, &file, "jellyfish", LFS3_O_RDONLY) => 0;
@@ -329,7 +331,8 @@ code = '''
                 | LFS3_I_LOOKAHEAD
                 | LFS3_I_COMPACT
                 | LFS3_I_CKMETA
-                | LFS3_I_CKDATA));
+                | LFS3_I_CKDATA
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
     lfs3_unmount(&lfs3) => 0;
 
     // with LFS3_M_MKCONSISTENT, mount cleans up orphans eagerly
@@ -347,7 +350,8 @@ code = '''
                 | ((!COMPACT) ? LFS3_I_COMPACT : 0)
                 // note ckdata implies ckmeta
                 | ((!CKMETA && !CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKMETA : 0)
-                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)));
+                | ((!CKDATA) ? LFS3_I_CKDATA : 0)
+                | LFS3_IFDEF_BMAP(LFS3_I_BMAPCACHE, 0)));
 
     // check we can still read the files
     lfs3_file_open(&lfs3, &file, "cuttlefish", LFS3_O_RDONLY) => 0;
diff --git a/tests/test_relocations.toml b/tests/test_relocations.toml
index 2a2b16b7..22285d98 100644
--- a/tests/test_relocations.toml
+++ b/tests/test_relocations.toml
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@ after = [
     'test_powerloss',
 ]
 
-# TODO bmap workaround?
-ifndef = 'LFS3_BMAP'
-
 # Note that most of the delicate relocation operations are already tested
 # in test_mtree. This mostly just covers high-level operations with
 # relatively aggressive wear-leveling.