diff --git a/src/Demos/GreenFeetWorkFlow.Tests/AdoTests.cs b/src/Demos/GreenFeetWorkFlow.Tests/AdoTests.cs
index 45ba80c..c7f1856 100644
--- a/src/Demos/GreenFeetWorkFlow.Tests/AdoTests.cs
+++ b/src/Demos/GreenFeetWorkFlow.Tests/AdoTests.cs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public void When_executing_OneStep_with_initialstate_Then_that_state_is_accessib
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_adding_two_steps_in_the_same_transaction_Then_both_execute()
+    public void When_adding_two_steps_in_the_same_transaction_Then_both_execute()
     {
         string[] stepResults = new string[2];
         const string name = "v1/When_adding_two_steps_in_the_same_transaction_Then_succeed";
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public async Task When_adding_two_steps_in_the_same_transaction_Then_both_execut
     Dictionary<StepStatus, List<Step>> GetAllByFlowId() => helper.Engine!.Data.SearchSteps(new SearchModel(FlowId: helper.FlowId), FetchLevels.ALL);
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_Then_fail_current_step()
+    public void When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_Then_fail_current_step()
     {
         const string name = "test-throw-failstepexception";
         helper.StepHandlers = [(
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_using_step_Then_fail_current_step()
+    public void When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_using_step_Then_fail_current_step()
     {
         const string name = "test-throw-failstepexception_from_step_variable";
         helper.Steps = [new Step(name) { FlowId = helper.FlowId }];
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_and_add_step_Then_fail_current_step_and_add_ready_step()
+    public void When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_and_add_step_Then_fail_current_step_and_add_ready_step()
     {
         var name = "test-throw-failstepexception-with-newStep";
         var nameNewStep = "test-throw-failstepexception-with-newStep-newstepname";
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_special_FailCurrentStepException_
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_executing_step_throwing_exception_Then_rerun_current_step_and_ensure_state_is_unchanged()
+    public void When_executing_step_throwing_exception_Then_rerun_current_step_and_ensure_state_is_unchanged()
     {
         int? dbid = null;
         const string name = "test-throw-exception";
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ public void When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_wont_execute()
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute_now()
+    public void When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute_now()
     {
         string? stepResult = null;
         const string name = "When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute_now";
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute
 
         // activate
         var id = GetByFlowId().Single().Id;
-        var count = await helper.Engine!.Data.ActivateStepAsync(id, null);
+        var count = helper.Engine!.Data.ActivateStep(id, null);
         count.Should().Be(1);
 
         helper.Start();
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute_now_with_args()
+    public void When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute_now_with_args()
     {
         string? stepResult = null;
         string args = "1234";
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute
 
         // activate
         var id = GetByFlowId().Single().Id;
-        var count = await helper.Engine!.Data.ActivateStepAsync(id, args);
+        var count = helper.Engine!.Data.ActivateStep(id, args);
         count.Should().Be(1);
         helper.Start();
 
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ public async Task When_step_is_in_the_future_Then_it_can_be_activated_to_execute
     }
 
     [Test]
-    public async Task TwoSteps_flow_with_last_step_undefined_stephandler__so_test_terminate()
+    public void TwoSteps_flow_with_last_step_undefined_stephandler__so_test_terminate()
     {
         string? stepResult = null;
         const string name = "undefined-next-step/cookFood";
diff --git a/src/Product/GreenFeetWorkFlow/WorkflowRuntimeData.cs b/src/Product/GreenFeetWorkFlow/WorkflowRuntimeData.cs
index c758fd0..fb9cae5 100644
--- a/src/Product/GreenFeetWorkFlow/WorkflowRuntimeData.cs
+++ b/src/Product/GreenFeetWorkFlow/WorkflowRuntimeData.cs
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ public WorkflowRuntimeData(IWorkflowIocContainer iocContainer, IWorkflowStepStat
         this.WorkerCoordinator = workerCoordinator;
     }
 
+    // TODO unittest
     /// <summary> Reschedule a ready step to 'now' and send it activation data </summary>
-    public async Task<int> ActivateStepAsync(int id, object? activationArguments, object? transaction = null)
+    public int ActivateStep(int id, object? activationArguments, object? transaction = null)
     {
         var persister = iocContainer.GetInstance<IStepPersister>();
 
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ public async Task<int> ActivateStepAsync(int id, object? activationArguments, ob
                 return persister.Update(StepStatus.Ready, step);
             },
             transaction);
-        return await Task.FromResult(rows);
+        return rows;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -54,26 +55,26 @@ public async Task<int> ActivateStepAsync(int id, object? activationArguments, ob
 
     /// <summary> Add step to be executed. May throw exception if persistence layer fails. For example when inserting multiple singleton elements </summary>
     /// <returns>the identity of the step</returns>
-    public async Task<int> AddStepAsync(Step step, object? transaction = null) => (await AddStepsAsync(new[] { step }, transaction)).Single();
+    public int AddStep(Step step, object? transaction = null) => AddSteps(new[] { step }, transaction).Single();
 
     /// <summary> Add steps to be executed. May throw exception if persistence layer fails. For example when inserting multiple singleton elements </summary>
     /// <returns>the identity of the steps</returns>
-    public async Task<int[]> AddStepsAsync(Step[] steps, object? transaction = null)
+    public int[] AddSteps(Step[] steps, object? transaction = null)
     {
         var now = DateTime.Now;
 
-        foreach (var x in steps)
+        foreach (var step in steps)
         {
-            FixupNewStep(null, x, now);
+            FixupNewStep(null, step, now);
         }
 
         IStepPersister persister = iocContainer.GetInstance<IStepPersister>();
         var result = persister.InTransaction(() => persister.Insert(StepStatus.Ready, steps), transaction);
-        return await Task.FromResult(result);
 
         Worker.ResetWaitForWorkers();
         WorkerCoordinator?.TryAddWorker();
 
+        return result;
     }
 
     /// <summary> Add steps to be executed. May throw exception if persistence layer fails. For example when inserting multiple singleton elements.
@@ -114,18 +115,18 @@ internal void FixupNewStep(Step? originStep, Step step, DateTime now)
         FormatStateForSerialization(step);
     }
 
-    public async Task<List<Step>> SearchStepsAsync(SearchModel criteria, StepStatus target, object? transaction = null)
+    public List<Step> SearchSteps(SearchModel criteria, StepStatus target, object? transaction = null)
     {
         IStepPersister persister = iocContainer.GetInstance<IStepPersister>();
         var result = persister.InTransaction(() => persister.SearchSteps(criteria, target), transaction);
-        return await Task.FromResult(result);
+        return result;
     }
 
-    public async Task<Dictionary<StepStatus, List<Step>>> SearchStepsAsync(SearchModel criteria, FetchLevels fetchLevels, object? transaction = null)
+    public Dictionary<StepStatus, List<Step>> SearchSteps(SearchModel criteria, FetchLevels fetchLevels, object? transaction = null)
     {
         IStepPersister persister = iocContainer.GetInstance<IStepPersister>();
         var result = persister.InTransaction(() => persister.SearchSteps(criteria, fetchLevels), transaction);
-        return await Task.FromResult(result);
+        return result;
     }
 
     /// <summary> Re-execute steps that are 'done' or 'failed' by inserting a clone into the 'ready' queue </summary>
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ public int[] ReExecuteSteps(SearchModel criteria, FetchLevels stepKinds, object?
     /// <param name="criteria"></param>
     /// <param name="transaction"></param>
     /// <returns>The ids of the failed steps</returns>
-    public async Task<int[]> FailStepsAsync(SearchModel criteria, object? transaction = null)
+    public int[] FailSteps(SearchModel criteria, object? transaction = null)
     {
         IStepPersister persister = iocContainer.GetInstance<IStepPersister>();
 
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ public async Task<int[]> FailStepsAsync(SearchModel criteria, object? transactio
             return steps.Select(x => x.Id).ToArray();
         }, transaction);
 
-        return await Task.FromResult(ids);
+        return ids;
     }
 
     /// <summary> we round down to ensure a worker can pick up the step/rerun-step. if in unittest mode it may exit if not rounded. </summary>
@@ -229,4 +230,4 @@ internal void FormatStateForSerialization(Step step)
             throw new Exception($"No formatter registered for format name '{step.StateFormat}'");
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}