diff --git a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-aggregator.c b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-aggregator.c
index e293a23cd..2d5fd71d8 100644
--- a/src/exchange/taler-exchange-aggregator.c
+++ b/src/exchange/taler-exchange-aggregator.c
@@ -482,10 +482,18 @@ run_aggregation (void *cls,
       *global_ret = GNUNET_SYSERR;
       return;
     }
-    /* nothing to do, sleep for a minute and try again */
-    task = GNUNET_SCHEDULER_add_delayed (GNUNET_TIME_UNIT_MINUTES,
-                                         &run_aggregation,
-                                         global_ret);
+    if (GNUNET_YES == test_mode)
+    {
+      /* in test mode, shutdown if we end up being idle */
+      GNUNET_SCHEDULER_shutdown ();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      /* nothing to do, sleep for a minute and try again */
+      task = GNUNET_SCHEDULER_add_delayed (GNUNET_TIME_UNIT_MINUTES,
+                                           &run_aggregation,
+                                           global_ret);
+    }
     return;
   }
   /* Now try to find other deposits to aggregate */
diff --git a/src/exchangedb/plugin_exchangedb_postgres.c b/src/exchangedb/plugin_exchangedb_postgres.c
index bcd6b9a0c..b59acaead 100644
--- a/src/exchangedb/plugin_exchangedb_postgres.c
+++ b/src/exchangedb/plugin_exchangedb_postgres.c
@@ -4056,7 +4056,7 @@ postgres_wire_prepare_data_insert (void *cls,
 {
   PGresult *result;
   struct GNUNET_PQ_QueryParam params[] = {
-    GNUNET_PQ_query_param_fixed_size (type, strlen (type) + 1),
+    GNUNET_PQ_query_param_string (type),
     GNUNET_PQ_query_param_fixed_size (buf, buf_size),
     GNUNET_PQ_query_param_end
   };
@@ -4132,7 +4132,7 @@ postgres_wire_prepare_data_get (void *cls,
 {
   PGresult *result;
   struct GNUNET_PQ_QueryParam params[] = {
-    GNUNET_PQ_query_param_fixed_size (type, strlen (type) + 1),
+    GNUNET_PQ_query_param_string (type),
     GNUNET_PQ_query_param_end
   };