diff --git a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/ApplicationLayoutIntegrationTest.java b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/ApplicationLayoutIntegrationTest.java
index 5874b0e1c8..7dfee983aa 100644
--- a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/ApplicationLayoutIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/ApplicationLayoutIntegrationTest.java
@@ -95,15 +95,9 @@ public void getApplicationLayout_layoutExists_returns200WithPersistedLayout() th
     public void persistApplicationLayout_noLayoutExists_returns201AndPersistsLayout() throws Exception {
         String user = "user";
         String definition = "{\"key\": \"value\"}";
-        String settings = "{\"settingsKey\": \"settingsValue\"}";
-
-        String requestBody = "{" +
-                "\"applicationLayout\": " + definition + "," +
-                "\"settings\": " + settings +
-                "}";
 
         mockMvc.perform(put(BASE_URL).header("username", user)
-                        .content(requestBody)
+                        .content(definition)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
                 .andExpect(status().isCreated())
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$").doesNotExist());
@@ -111,7 +105,7 @@ public void persistApplicationLayout_noLayoutExists_returns201AndPersistsLayout(
         ApplicationLayout persistedLayout = repository.findById(user).orElseThrow();
 
         assertThat(persistedLayout.getUsername()).isEqualTo(user);
-        assertThat(persistedLayout.getApplicationLayout()).isEqualTo(objectMapper.readTree(requestBody));
+        assertThat(persistedLayout.getApplicationLayout()).isEqualTo(objectMapper.readTree(definition));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -124,15 +118,9 @@ public void persistApplicationLayout_layoutExists_returns201AndOverwritesLayout(
         persistApplicationLayout(user, initialDefinition);
 
         String newDefinition = "{\"new-key\": \"new-value\"}";
-        String settings = "{\"settingsKey\": \"settingsValue\"}";
-
-        String requestBody = "{" +
-                "\"applicationLayout\": " + newDefinition + "," +
-                "\"settings\": " + settings +
-                "}";
 
         mockMvc.perform(put(BASE_URL).header("username", user)
-                        .content(requestBody)
+                        .content(newDefinition)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
                 .andExpect(status().isCreated())
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$").doesNotExist());
@@ -142,7 +130,7 @@ public void persistApplicationLayout_layoutExists_returns201AndOverwritesLayout(
         ApplicationLayout retrievedLayout = repository.findById(user).orElseThrow();
 
         assertThat(retrievedLayout.getUsername()).isEqualTo(user);
-        assertThat(retrievedLayout.getApplicationLayout()).isEqualTo(objectMapper.readTree(requestBody));
+        assertThat(retrievedLayout.getApplicationLayout()).isEqualTo(objectMapper.readTree(newDefinition));
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/service/ApplicationLayoutServiceTest.java b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/service/ApplicationLayoutServiceTest.java
index 7276bf0254..3ed272f42b 100644
--- a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/service/ApplicationLayoutServiceTest.java
+++ b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/service/ApplicationLayoutServiceTest.java
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ public void getApplicationLayout_noLayout_returnsDefault() {
         ApplicationLayout actualLayout = service.getApplicationLayout("new user");
 
         // Expecting application layout as defined in /test/resources/defaultApplicationLayout.json
-        ObjectNode expectedDefinition = objectNodeConverter.convertToEntityAttribute("{\"defaultLayoutKey\":\"default-layout-value\"}");
+        ObjectNode expectedDefinition =
+                objectNodeConverter.convertToEntityAttribute("{\"defaultLayoutKey\":\"default-layout-value\"}");
 
         assertThat(actualLayout.getUsername()).isNull();
         assertThat(actualLayout.getApplicationLayout()).isEqualTo(expectedDefinition);
diff --git a/vuu-ui/cypress/e2e/layout-management/api/application-layouts.cy.ts b/vuu-ui/cypress/e2e/layout-management/api/application-layouts.cy.ts
index 9d9976b72a..91af92cc62 100644
--- a/vuu-ui/cypress/e2e/layout-management/api/application-layouts.cy.ts
+++ b/vuu-ui/cypress/e2e/layout-management/api/application-layouts.cy.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe("Application Layouts", () => {
               JSON.stringify(requestBody)
             );
 
-            expect(response.body.applicationLayout).to.not.contain(
+            expect(response.body.applicationLayout).to.not.equal(
               originalApplicationLayout
             );
             expect(response.body.settings).to.not.equal(