diff --git a/.github/workflows/system.yml b/.github/workflows/system.yml
index 4d608562..6e476274 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/system.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/system.yml
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@ jobs:
             RECREATE_BUCKETS: "true"
             DELETE_BUCKETS_AFTER_TEST: "true"
             BACKEND: "posix"
+          - set: "setup/remove static buckets scripts"
+            IAM_TYPE: folder
+            RUN_SET: "setup-remove-static"
+            RECREATE_BUCKETS: "true"
+            DELETE_BUCKETS_AFTER_TEST: "true"
+            BACKEND: "posix"
     steps:
       - name: Check out code into the Go module directory
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -229,7 +235,10 @@ jobs:
           BYPASS_ENV_FILE=true ${{ github.workspace }}/tests/run.sh $RUN_SET
 
       - name: Time report
-        run: cat ${{ github.workspace }}/time.log
+        run: | 
+          if [ -e ${{ github.workspace }}/time.log ]; then
+            cat ${{ github.workspace }}/time.log
+          fi
 
       - name: Coverage report
         run: |
diff --git a/tests/Dockerfile_test_bats b/tests/Dockerfile_test_bats
index 1509e3ac..1163c200 100644
--- a/tests/Dockerfile_test_bats
+++ b/tests/Dockerfile_test_bats
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     bc \
     libxml2-utils \
     xmlstarlet \
+    python3-pip \
+    python3-venv \
+    xxd \
     ca-certificates && \
     update-ca-certificates && \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
@@ -63,6 +66,15 @@ RUN git clone https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core.git && \
     cd bats-core && \
     ./install.sh /home/tester
 
+# Create a shared venv & install Python deps there
+ENV VENV=/opt/venv
+RUN python3 -m venv "$VENV" \
+ && "$VENV/bin/python" -m pip install --upgrade pip \
+ && "$VENV/bin/pip" install --no-cache-dir awscrt
+
+# Make the venv the default Python for all subsequent RUN/CMD/ENTRYPOINT
+ENV PATH="$VENV/bin:${PATH}"
+
 USER tester
 COPY --chown=tester:tester . /home/tester
 
diff --git a/tests/commands/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh b/tests/commands/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
index a1235b8f..18bd67d2 100644
--- a/tests/commands/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
+++ b/tests/commands/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ get_bucket_ownership_controls_rest() {
   if ! check_param_count "get_bucket_ownership_controls_rest" "bucket" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
-  if ! result=$(COMMAND_LOG="$COMMAND_LOG" BUCKET_NAME="$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" OUTPUT_FILE="$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/ownershipControls.txt" ./tests/rest_scripts/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh); then
+  if ! result=$(COMMAND_LOG="$COMMAND_LOG" BUCKET_NAME="$1" OUTPUT_FILE="$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/ownershipControls.txt" ./tests/rest_scripts/get_bucket_ownership_controls.sh); then
     log 2 "error getting bucket ownership controls: $result"
     return 1
   fi
diff --git a/tests/commands/get_object_legal_hold.sh b/tests/commands/get_object_legal_hold.sh
index b48e513c..d9cc9769 100644
--- a/tests/commands/get_object_legal_hold.sh
+++ b/tests/commands/get_object_legal_hold.sh
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ get_object_legal_hold_rest_version_id() {
     log 2 "error getting object legal hold: $result"
     return 1
   fi
+  legal_hold=$(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/legal_hold.txt")
   if [ "$result" != "200" ]; then
-    log 2 "get-object-legal-hold returned code $result: $(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/legal_hold.txt")"
+    log 2 "get-object-legal-hold returned code $result: $legal_hold)"
     return 1
   fi
-  legal_hold=$(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/legal_hold.txt")
   return 0
 }
diff --git a/tests/commands/get_object_lock_configuration.sh b/tests/commands/get_object_lock_configuration.sh
index c4b836f3..6ecc0be4 100644
--- a/tests/commands/get_object_lock_configuration.sh
+++ b/tests/commands/get_object_lock_configuration.sh
@@ -53,5 +53,6 @@ get_object_lock_configuration_rest() {
     return 1
   fi
   lock_config="$(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/object-lock-config.txt")"
+  log 5 "lock config: $lock_config"
   return 0
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/drivers/delete_object/delete_object_rest.sh b/tests/drivers/delete_object/delete_object_rest.sh
index bcac7297..f7d59a46 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/delete_object/delete_object_rest.sh
+++ b/tests/drivers/delete_object/delete_object_rest.sh
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ list_and_delete_objects() {
     fi
   done
 
-  if ! delete_old_versions "$1"; then
+  if ! delete_old_versions_base64 "$1"; then
     log 2 "error deleting old version"
     return 1
   fi
   return 0
 }
 
-delete_old_versions() {
+delete_old_versions_base64() {
   if ! check_param_count "delete_old_versions" "bucket" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
@@ -53,45 +53,52 @@ delete_old_versions() {
   fi
   # shellcheck disable=SC2154
   log 5 "versions: $versions"
-  version_keys=()
-  version_ids=()
 
-  if ! parse_version_data_by_type "rest" "$2"; then
+  if ! parse_base64_versions_rest; then
     log 2 "error parsing version data"
     return 1
   fi
 
-  log 5 "version keys: ${version_keys[*]}"
-  log 5 "version IDs: ${version_ids[*]}"
-  for idx in "${!version_keys[@]}"; do
-    if ! delete_object_version_with_or_without_retention "$1"; then
+  log 5 "base64 versions: ${base64_pairs[*]}"
+  for pair in "${base64_pairs[@]}"; do
+    log 5 "pair: $pair"
+    if ! delete_object_version_with_or_without_retention_base64 "$1" "$pair"; then
       log 2 "error deleting version with or without retention"
       return 1
     fi
   done
 }
 
-delete_object_version_with_or_without_retention() {
-  if ! check_param_count "delete_object_version_with_or_without_retention" "bucket" 1 $#; then
+delete_object_version_with_or_without_retention_base64() {
+  if ! check_param_count_v2 "bucket, key/value pair" 2 $#; then
+    return 1
+  fi
+  IFS=":" read -ra key_and_id <<< "$2"
+  log 5 "key and ID: ${key_and_id[*]}"
+  if ! key=$(printf '%s' "${key_and_id[0]}" | base64 --decode 2>&1); then
+    log 2 "error decoding key: $key"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if ! id=$(printf '%s' "${key_and_id[1]}" | base64 --decode 2>&1); then
+    log 2 "error decoding ID: $id"
     return 1
   fi
-  log 5 "idx: $idx"
-  log 5 "version ID: ${version_ids[$idx]}"
   # shellcheck disable=SC2154
   if [ "$lock_config_exists" == "true" ]; then
-    if ! check_remove_legal_hold_versions "$1" "${version_keys[$idx]}" "${version_ids[$idx]}"; then
+    if ! check_remove_legal_hold_versions "$1" "$key" "$id"; then
       log 2 "error checking, removing legal hold versions"
+      return 1
     fi
-    if ! delete_object_version_rest_bypass_retention "$1" "${version_keys[$idx]}" "${version_ids[$idx]}"; then
+    if ! delete_object_version_rest_bypass_retention "$1" "$key" "$id"; then
       log 2 "error deleting object version, bypassing retention"
       return 1
     fi
   else
-    if ! delete_object_version_rest "$1" "${version_keys[$idx]}" "${version_ids[$idx]}"; then
+    if ! delete_object_version_rest "$1" "$key" "$id"; then
       log 2 "error deleting object version"
       return 1
     fi
   fi
-  log 5 "successfully deleted version with key '${version_keys[$idx]}', id '${version_ids[$idx]}'"
+  log 5 "successfully deleted version with key '$key', id '$id'"
   return 0
 }
diff --git a/tests/drivers/get_object_lock_config/get_object_lock_config_rest.sh b/tests/drivers/get_object_lock_config/get_object_lock_config_rest.sh
index 0710bd3f..baf43f27 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/get_object_lock_config/get_object_lock_config_rest.sh
+++ b/tests/drivers/get_object_lock_config/get_object_lock_config_rest.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ check_object_lock_config() {
   lock_config_exists=true
   if ! get_object_lock_configuration "rest" "$1"; then
     # shellcheck disable=SC2154
+    log 5 "lock config error: $get_object_lock_config_err"
     if [[ "$get_object_lock_config_err" == *"does not exist"* ]]; then
       # shellcheck disable=SC2034
       lock_config_exists=false
diff --git a/tests/drivers/put_bucket_acl/put_bucket_acl_rest.sh b/tests/drivers/put_bucket_acl/put_bucket_acl_rest.sh
index 52585dc6..479b7203 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/put_bucket_acl/put_bucket_acl_rest.sh
+++ b/tests/drivers/put_bucket_acl/put_bucket_acl_rest.sh
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ check_ownership_rule_and_reset_acl() {
     return 1
   fi
   if ! object_ownership_rule=$(get_bucket_ownership_controls_rest "$1" 2>&1); then
-    log 2 "error getting bucket ownership controls"
+    log 2 "error getting bucket ownership controls: $object_ownership_rule"
     return 1
   fi
   log 5 "ownership rule: $object_ownership_rule"
diff --git a/tests/drivers/rest.sh b/tests/drivers/rest.sh
index 6750b64d..7e3e14f2 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/rest.sh
+++ b/tests/drivers/rest.sh
@@ -158,8 +158,9 @@ send_rest_command_expect_success_callback() {
     log 2 "error sending command: $result"
     return 1
   fi
-  if [ "$result" != "$3" ]; then
-    log 2 "expected '$3', was '$result' ($(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/output.txt"))"
+  response_code="$(echo "$result" | tail -n 1)"
+  if [ "$response_code" != "$3" ]; then
+    log 2 "expected '$3', was '$response_code' ($(cat "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/output.txt"))"
     return 1
   fi
   if [ "$4" != "" ] && ! "$4" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/output.txt"; then
diff --git a/tests/remove_static.sh b/tests/remove_static.sh
index 9f1fe894..6394de10 100755
--- a/tests/remove_static.sh
+++ b/tests/remove_static.sh
@@ -18,31 +18,32 @@ source ./tests/setup.sh
 source ./tests/util/util_object.sh
 
 delete_bucket_if_exists() {
-  if [[ $# -ne 2 ]]; then
-    log 2 "delete_bucket_if_exists command missing command type, name"
+  if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
+    log 2 "delete_bucket_if_exists command missing bucket name"
     return 1
   fi
-  bucket_exists "$1" "$2" || local exists_result=$?
+  bucket_exists "$1" || local exists_result=$?
   if [[ $exists_result -eq 2 ]]; then
     log 2 "error checking if bucket exists"
     return 1
   fi
   if [[ $exists_result -eq 1 ]]; then
-    echo "bucket '$2' doesn't exist, skipping"
+    echo "bucket '$1' doesn't exist, skipping"
     return 0
   fi
-  if ! delete_bucket_recursive "$1" "$2"; then
+  log 5 "attempting to delete bucket '$1'"
+  if ! delete_bucket_recursive "$1"; then
     log 2 "error deleting bucket"
     return 1
   fi
-  echo "bucket '$2' successfully deleted"
+  echo "bucket '$1' successfully deleted"
   return 0
 }
 
 base_setup
-if ! RECREATE_BUCKETS=true delete_bucket_if_exists "s3api" "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"; then
+if ! RECREATE_BUCKETS=true delete_bucket_if_exists "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"; then
   log 2 "error deleting static bucket one"
-elif ! RECREATE_BUCKETS=true delete_bucket_if_exists "s3api" "$BUCKET_TWO_NAME"; then
+elif ! RECREATE_BUCKETS=true delete_bucket_if_exists "$BUCKET_TWO_NAME"; then
   log 2 "error deleting static bucket two"
 fi
 if ! stop_versity; then
diff --git a/tests/rest_scripts/get_object_legal_hold.sh b/tests/rest_scripts/get_object_legal_hold.sh
index 7e23f0d9..05b1e69b 100755
--- a/tests/rest_scripts/get_object_legal_hold.sh
+++ b/tests/rest_scripts/get_object_legal_hold.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ source ./tests/rest_scripts/rest.sh
 # shellcheck disable=SC2153
 bucket_name="$BUCKET_NAME"
 # shellcheck disable=SC2154
-key="$OBJECT_KEY"
+key="$(echo -n "$OBJECT_KEY" | jq -sRr 'split("/") | map(@uri) | join("/")')"
 # shellcheck disable=SC2153,SC2154
 version_id="$VERSION_ID"
 
@@ -48,4 +48,5 @@ curl_command+=(-H "\"Authorization: AWS4-HMAC-SHA256 Credential=$aws_access_key_
 curl_command+=("${header_fields[@]}")
 curl_command+=(-o "$OUTPUT_FILE")
 # shellcheck disable=SC2154
+log_rest 5 "curl command: ${curl_command[*]}"
 eval "${curl_command[*]}" 2>&1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/run.sh b/tests/run.sh
index f1d0cc1e..6ab3861b 100755
--- a/tests/run.sh
+++ b/tests/run.sh
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ handle_param() {
       s3api-bucket|s3api-object|s3api-multipart|rest-base|rest-acl|rest-chunked|rest-checksum|\
       rest-create-bucket|rest-head-bucket|rest-list-buckets|rest-not-implemented|\
       rest-put-object|rest-versioning|rest-bucket|rest-multipart|rest-delete-bucket-ownership-controls|\
-      rest-delete-bucket-tagging)
+      rest-delete-bucket-tagging|setup-remove-static)
           run_suite "$1"
           ;;
       *) # Handle unrecognized options or positional arguments
@@ -247,8 +247,13 @@ run_suite() {
     s3api-user)
       echo "Running s3api user tests ..."
       "$HOME"/bin/bats ./tests/test_user_aws.sh || exit_code=$?
+      ;;
+    setup-remove-static)
+      echo "Testing setup/remove static bucket scripts ..."
+      VERSITYGW_TEST_ENV="$VERSITYGW_TEST_ENV" ./tests/test_setup_remove_static.sh || exit_code=$?
+      ;;
   esac
-  if [ $exit_code -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ "$exit_code" -ne 0 ]; then
     exit 1
   fi
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_rest.sh b/tests/test_rest.sh
index ad4d31d3..221814c6 100755
--- a/tests/test_rest.sh
+++ b/tests/test_rest.sh
@@ -111,13 +111,8 @@ test_file="test_file"
   test_key="TestKey"
   test_value="TestValue"
 
-  run bucket_cleanup_if_bucket_exists "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"
+  run setup_bucket_object_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"
   assert_success
-  # in static bucket config, bucket will still exist
-  if ! bucket_exists "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"; then
-    run create_bucket_object_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"
-    assert_success
-  fi
 
   run create_test_files "$test_file"
   assert_success
@@ -135,13 +130,30 @@ test_file="test_file"
 }
 
 @test "REST - legal hold, get without config" {
+  if [ "$RECREATE_BUCKETS" == "false" ]; then
+    skip "test requires object lock not to be enabled"
+  fi
   run setup_bucket_and_file "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file"
   assert_success
 
   run put_object "rest" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/$test_file" "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file"
   assert_success
 
-  run check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file"
+  run check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file" "InvalidRequest"
+  assert_success
+}
+
+@test "REST - legal hold, object lock enabled w/o specific object lock set" {
+  run setup_bucket_object_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME"
+  assert_success
+
+  run create_test_file "$test_file"
+  assert_success
+
+  run put_object "rest" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/$test_file" "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file"
+  assert_success
+
+  run check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$test_file" "NoSuchObjectLockConfiguration"
   assert_success
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_rest_delete_bucket_ownership_controls.sh b/tests/test_rest_delete_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
index 6739f1b6..2b6f19a6 100755
--- a/tests/test_rest_delete_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
+++ b/tests/test_rest_delete_bucket_ownership_controls.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ export RUN_USERS=true
   fi
   run setup_bucket_and_user_v2 "$BUCKET_ONE_NAME" "$USERNAME_ONE" "$PASSWORD_ONE"
   assert_success
-  username=${lines[2]}
-  password=${lines[3]}
+  username=${lines[${#lines[@]}-2]}
+  password=${lines[${#lines[@]}-1]}
+  log 5 "output: $output"
   log 5 "username: $username, password: $password"
 
   run send_rest_go_command_expect_error "403" "AccessDenied" "Access Denied" "-awsAccessKeyId" "$username" "-awsSecretAccessKey" "$password" \
diff --git a/tests/test_setup_remove_static.sh b/tests/test_setup_remove_static.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..7642d906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_setup_remove_static.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Copyright 2024 Versity Software
+# This file is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+# (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http:#www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+# software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+source ./tests/logger.sh
+
+if [ -z "$VERSITYGW_TEST_ENV" ]; then
+  echo "VERSITYGW_TEST_ENV variable missing"
+  return 1
+fi
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+source "$VERSITYGW_TEST_ENV"
+if [ "$RECREATE_BUCKETS" != "true" ] || [ "$DELETE_BUCKETS_AFTER_TEST" != "true" ]; then
+  echo "for this test 'RECREATE_BUCKETS' and 'DELETE_BUCKETS_AFTER_TEST' must be set to true"
+  exit 1
+fi
+# try to remove buckets if already there, don't worry if they're not
+./tests/remove_static.sh
+echo "AFTER FIRST REMOVAL"
+if ! result=$(./tests/setup_static.sh 2>&1); then
+  echo "error setting up buckets: $result"
+  exit 1
+fi
+echo "RESULT:  $result"
+if [[ "$result" != *"bucket '$BUCKET_ONE_NAME' successfully created"* ]]; then
+  echo "error creating bucket '$BUCKET_ONE_NAME'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [[ "$result" != *"bucket '$BUCKET_TWO_NAME' successfully created"* ]]; then
+  echo "error creating bucket '$BUCKET_TWO_NAME'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! result=$(./tests/remove_static.sh 2>&1); then
+  echo "error removing buckets: $result"
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [[ "$result" != *"bucket '$BUCKET_ONE_NAME' successfully deleted"* ]]; then
+  echo "error deleting bucket '$BUCKET_ONE_NAME'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [[ "$result" != *"bucket '$BUCKET_TWO_NAME' successfully deleted"* ]]; then
+  echo "error deleting bucket '$BUCKET_TWO_NAME'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+exit 0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/util/util_bucket.sh b/tests/util/util_bucket.sh
index 3ec9acc6..11b5c165 100644
--- a/tests/util/util_bucket.sh
+++ b/tests/util/util_bucket.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ reset_bucket() {
   if ! check_param_count "reset_bucket" "bucket" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
+  log 6 "reset bucket '$1'"
 
   if [[ $LOG_LEVEL_INT -ge 5 ]] && ! log_bucket_policy "$1"; then
     log 3 "error logging bucket policy"
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ reset_bucket() {
 # params:  bucket name
 # return 0 if able to delete recursively, 1 if not
 delete_bucket_recursive() {
-  log 6 "delete_bucket_recursive_s3api"
+  log 6 "delete_bucket_recursive"
   if ! check_param_count "delete_bucket_recursive_s3api" "bucket" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ direct_wait_for_bucket() {
   if ! check_param_count "direct_wait_for_bucket" "bucket" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
+  sleep 5
   bucket_verification_start_time=$(date +%s)
   while ! bucket_exists "$1"; do
     bucket_verification_end_time=$(date +%s)
@@ -120,6 +122,23 @@ direct_wait_for_bucket() {
   return 0
 }
 
+direct_wait_for_bucket_deletion() {
+  if ! check_param_count "direct_wait_for_bucket" "bucket" 1 $#; then
+    return 1
+  fi
+  sleep 5
+  bucket_verification_start_time=$(date +%s)
+  while bucket_exists "$1"; do
+    bucket_verification_end_time=$(date +%s)
+    if [ $((bucket_verification_end_time-bucket_verification_start_time)) -ge 60 ]; then
+      log 2 "bucket existence check timeout"
+      return 1
+    fi
+    sleep 5
+  done
+  return 0
+}
+
 # params:  client, bucket name
 # return 0 for success, 1 for error
 bucket_cleanup() {
@@ -207,6 +226,10 @@ setup_bucket() {
 
   log 5 "util.setup_bucket: bucket name: $1"
   if [[ $RECREATE_BUCKETS == "true" ]]; then
+    if [ "$DIRECT" == "true" ] && ! direct_wait_for_bucket_deletion "$1"; then
+      log 2 "bucket not successfully deleted"
+      return 1
+    fi
     if ! create_bucket "s3api" "$1"; then
       log 2 "error creating bucket"
       return 1
@@ -217,6 +240,7 @@ setup_bucket() {
 
   # bucket creation and resets take longer to propagate in direct mode
   if [ "$DIRECT" == "true" ] && ! direct_wait_for_bucket "$1"; then
+    log 2 "bucket not found after creation"
     return 1
   fi
 
diff --git a/tests/util/util_legal_hold.sh b/tests/util/util_legal_hold.sh
index c55de831..f8681bcb 100644
--- a/tests/util/util_legal_hold.sh
+++ b/tests/util/util_legal_hold.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ get_and_check_legal_hold() {
 }
 
 check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled() {
-  if ! check_param_count "check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled" "bucket, key" 2 $#; then
+  if ! check_param_count_v2 "bucket, key, expected error" 3 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
   if get_object_legal_hold_rest "$1" "$2"; then
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ check_legal_hold_without_lock_enabled() {
     log 2 "error getting error code: $code"
     return 1
   fi
-  if [ "$code" != "InvalidRequest" ]; then
-    log 2 "code mismatch (expected 'InvalidRequest', actual '$code')"
+  if [ "$code" != "$3" ]; then
+    log 2 "code mismatch (expected '$3', actual '$code')"
     return 1
   fi
   return 0
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ check_remove_legal_hold_versions() {
   fi
   if ! get_object_legal_hold_rest_version_id "$1" "$2" "$3"; then
     # shellcheck disable=SC2154
-    if [[ "$legal_hold" != *"MethodNotAllowed"* ]]; then
+    log 5 "legal hold: $legal_hold"
+    if [[ "$legal_hold" != *"MethodNotAllowed"* ]] && [[ "$legal_hold" != *"NoSuchObjectLockConfiguration"* ]]; then
       log 2 "error getting object legal hold status with version id"
       return 1
     fi
diff --git a/tests/util/util_list_parts.sh b/tests/util/util_list_parts.sh
index eba139f9..397e0c09 100644
--- a/tests/util/util_list_parts.sh
+++ b/tests/util/util_list_parts.sh
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ check_part_list_rest() {
 
 perform_multipart_upload_rest() {
   if [ $# -ne 6 ]; then
-    log 2 "'upload_check_parts' requires bucket, key, part list"
+    log 2 "'upload_check_parts' requires bucket, key, part list (4 parts)"
     return 1
   fi
   if ! create_multipart_upload_rest "$1" "$2" "" "parse_upload_id"; then
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ perform_multipart_upload_rest() {
     return 1
   fi
   parts_payload+="<Part><ETag>$etag</ETag><PartNumber>4</PartNumber></Part>"
-  if ! complete_multipart_upload_rest "$1" "$2" "$3" "$4"; then
+  if ! complete_multipart_upload_rest "$1" "$2" "$upload_id" "$parts_payload"; then
     log 2 "error completing multipart upload"
     return 1
   fi
diff --git a/tests/util/util_setup.sh b/tests/util/util_setup.sh
index 0f349b5f..5aa517da 100644
--- a/tests/util/util_setup.sh
+++ b/tests/util/util_setup.sh
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ setup_bucket_object_lock_enabled() {
     log 2 "error cleaning up bucket"
     return 1
   fi
+  if [ "$DIRECT" == "true" ] && [ "$RECREATE_BUCKETS" == "true" ] && ! direct_wait_for_bucket_deletion "$1"; then
+    log 2 "bucket not confirmed as deleted"
+    return 1
+  fi
 
   # in static bucket config, bucket will still exist
   if ! bucket_exists "$1"; then
@@ -75,5 +79,9 @@ setup_bucket_object_lock_enabled() {
       return 1
     fi
   fi
+  if [ "$DIRECT" == "true" ] && ! direct_wait_for_bucket "$1"; then
+    log 2 "bucket not confirmed as created"
+    return 1
+  fi
   return 0
 }
diff --git a/tests/util/util_versioning.sh b/tests/util/util_versioning.sh
index 909f8151..9e1d03d3 100644
--- a/tests/util/util_versioning.sh
+++ b/tests/util/util_versioning.sh
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ check_versioning_status_rest() {
 }
 
 echo_versions() {
-  if ! check_param_count "echo_versions" "'Version' or 'DeleteMarker', 'Key' or 'VersionId'" 2 $#; then
+  if ! check_param_count_v2 "'Version' or 'DeleteMarker', 'Key' or 'VersionId', file" 3 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
   if ! keys=$(echo -n "$versions" | xmllint --xpath "//*[local-name()=\"$1\"]/*[local-name()=\"$2\"]/text()" - | xmlstarlet unesc 2>&1); then
@@ -113,32 +113,64 @@ echo_versions() {
     return 1
   fi
   log 5 "keys to append: ${keys[*]}"
+  if ! result=$(truncate -s 0 "$3" 2>&1); then
+    log 2 "error truncating file: $result"
+  fi
+  for key in "${keys[@]}"; do
+    echo "$key" >> "$3"
+  done
   echo "${keys[*]}"
 }
 
-parse_versions_rest() {
-  if ! check_param_count "parse_versions_rest" "versions variable" 1 $#; then
+get_base64_version_keys_and_ids() {
+  if ! check_param_count_v2 "'Version' or 'DeleteMarker'" 1 $#; then
     return 1
   fi
-  if ! keys=$(echo_versions "Version" "Key"); then
+  while IFS= read -r key && IFS= read -r vid; do
+    log 5 "key: $key, vid: $vid"
+    b_key="$(printf '%s' "$key" | base64 -w0)"
+    b_vid="$(printf '%s' "$vid" | base64 -w0)"
+    base64_pairs+=("$b_key:$b_vid")
+  done < <(xmlstarlet sel -t \
+               -m '//*[local-name()='"\"$1\""']' \
+               -v '*[local-name()="Key"]' -n \
+               -v '*[local-name()="VersionId"]' -n \
+               <<<"$versions" | xmlstarlet unesc)
+}
+
+parse_base64_versions_rest() {
+  base64_pairs=()
+  if ! get_base64_version_keys_and_ids "Version"; then
+    log 2 "error getting version base64 keys and IDs"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if ! get_base64_version_keys_and_ids "DeleteMarker"; then
+    log 2 "error getting version base64 keys and IDs"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+parse_versions_rest() {
+  base64_pairs=()
+  if ! keys=$(echo_versions "Version" "Key" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/version_keys.txt"); then
     log 2 "error getting Version Key values: $keys"
     return 1
   fi
   # shellcheck disable=SC2206
   version_keys+=($keys)
-  if ! ids=$(echo_versions "Version" "VersionId"); then
+  if ! ids=$(echo_versions "Version" "VersionId" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/version_ids.txt"); then
     log 2 "error getting Version VersionId values: $ids"
     return 1
   fi
   # shellcheck disable=SC2206
   version_ids+=($ids)
-  if ! keys=$(echo_versions "DeleteMarker" "Key"); then
+  if ! keys=$(echo_versions "DeleteMarker" "Key" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/delete_marker_keys.txt"); then
     log 2 "error getting DeleteMarker Key values: $keys"
     return 1
   fi
   # shellcheck disable=SC2206
   version_keys+=($keys)
-  if ! ids=$(echo_versions "DeleteMarker" "VersionId"); then
+  if ! ids=$(echo_versions "DeleteMarker" "VersionId" "$TEST_FILE_FOLDER/delete_marker_ids.txt"); then
     log 2 "error getting DeleteMarker VersionId values: $ids"
     return 1
   fi
@@ -146,6 +178,7 @@ parse_versions_rest() {
   version_ids+=($ids)
   log 5 "version keys: ${version_keys[*]}"
   log 5 "version IDs: ${version_ids[*]}"
+  log 5 "base64 pairs: ${base64_pairs[*]}"
   return 0
 }