diff --git a/src/files-regular/refs-tests.js b/src/files-regular/refs-tests.js
index 08414888..f3f8dbbf 100644
--- a/src/files-regular/refs-tests.js
+++ b/src/files-regular/refs-tests.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 /* eslint-env mocha */
 'use strict'
 
-const map = require('async/map')
+const mapSeries = require('async/mapSeries')
 const { getDescribe, getIt, expect } = require('../utils/mocha')
+const loadFixture = require('aegir/fixtures')
 
 module.exports = (createCommon, suiteName, ipfsRefs, options) => {
   const describe = getDescribe(options)
@@ -125,20 +126,20 @@ function getMockObjects () {
   return {
     animals: {
       land: {
-        'african.txt': ['elephant', 'rhinocerous'],
-        'americas.txt': ['ñandu', 'tapir'],
-        'australian.txt': ['emu', 'kangaroo']
+        'african.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/african.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core'),
+        'americas.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/americas.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core'),
+        'australian.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/australian.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core')
       },
       sea: {
-        'atlantic.txt': ['dolphin', 'whale'],
-        'indian.txt': ['cuttlefish', 'octopus']
+        'atlantic.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/atlantic.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core'),
+        'indian.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/indian.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core')
       }
     },
     fruits: {
-      'tropical.txt': ['banana', 'pineapple']
+      'tropical.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/fruits/tropical.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core')
     },
-    'atlantic-animals': ['dolphin', 'whale'],
-    'mushroom.txt': ['mushroom']
+    'atlantic-animals': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/atlantic-animals', 'interface-ipfs-core'),
+    'mushroom.txt': loadFixture('test/fixtures/refs-test/mushroom.txt', 'interface-ipfs-core')
   }
 }
 
@@ -354,9 +355,9 @@ function loadPbContent (ipfs, node, callback) {
 function loadDagContent (ipfs, node, callback) {
   const store = {
     putData: (data, cb) => {
-      ipfs.add(Buffer.from(data), (err, res) => {
+      ipfs.add(data, (err, res) => {
         if (err) {
-          return callback(err)
+          return cb(err)
         }
         return cb(null, res[0].hash)
       })
@@ -373,14 +374,14 @@ function loadDagContent (ipfs, node, callback) {
 }
 
 function loadContent (ipfs, store, node, callback) {
-  if (Array.isArray(node)) {
-    return store.putData(node.join('\n'), callback)
+  if (Buffer.isBuffer(node)) {
+    return store.putData(node, callback)
   }
 
   if (typeof node === 'object') {
     const entries = Object.entries(node)
     const sorted = entries.sort((a, b) => a[0] > b[0] ? 1 : a[0] < b[0] ? -1 : 0)
-    map(sorted, ([name, child], cb) => {
+    mapSeries(sorted, ([name, child], cb) => {
       loadContent(ipfs, store, child, (err, cid) => {
         cb(err, { name, cid: cid && cid.toString() })
       })
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/african.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/african.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..29decfcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/african.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+elephant
+rhinocerous
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/americas.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/americas.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21368a87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/americas.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ñandu
+tapir
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/australian.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/australian.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a78c7bc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/land/australian.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+emu
+kangaroo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/atlantic.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/atlantic.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f77ffe51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/atlantic.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+dolphin
+whale
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/indian.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/indian.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c455106f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/animals/sea/indian.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+cuttlefish
+octopus
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/atlantic-animals b/test/fixtures/refs-test/atlantic-animals
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f77ffe51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/atlantic-animals
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+dolphin
+whale
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/fruits/tropical.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/fruits/tropical.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f331bc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/fruits/tropical.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+banana
+pineapple
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/refs-test/mushroom.txt b/test/fixtures/refs-test/mushroom.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b248aa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/refs-test/mushroom.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+mushroom
\ No newline at end of file