diff --git a/nrn/ball_and_3stick.py b/nrn/ball_and_3stick.py
index 3e777261f88fde9c53407d10fe0a6fe74cec4c5e..15ece3d3da151daf7bdb90f1af1d6cd368352489 100644
--- a/nrn/ball_and_3stick.py
+++ b/nrn/ball_and_3stick.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ for nseg in [5, 11, 51, 101] :
     # record spikes
     # this is a bit verbose, no?
     spike_counter_soma = h.APCount(soma(0.5))
-    spike_counter_soma.thresh = -0
+    spike_counter_soma.thresh = 0
     spike_counter_dend = h.APCount(dend[0](1))
     spike_counter_dend.thresh = -20
     spike_counter_clamp = h.APCount(dend[1](1.0))
diff --git a/tests/util.hpp b/tests/util.hpp
index b5e25d72d0ab5d141f581d183771f249e48f438b..aeb2f8d3e585a1603de6c7745b566a8b11aee12c 100644
--- a/tests/util.hpp
+++ b/tests/util.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <iomanip>
+#include <chrono>
 
 #include <cmath>
 
@@ -14,6 +15,22 @@
 
 namespace testing{
 
+using time_point    = std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::system_clock>;
+using duration_type = std::chrono::duration<double>;
+
+static inline
+time_point tic()
+{
+    return std::chrono::system_clock::now();
+}
+
+static inline
+double toc(time_point start)
+{
+    return duration_type(tic() - start).count();
+}
+
+
 [[gnu::unused]] static
 void write_vis_file(const std::string& fname, std::vector<std::vector<double>> values)
 {
diff --git a/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp b/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
index 024c7fdbde036cadf169744a1cc95269bc2778d4..a2aef0ada111aa7ecb8d150034a437016e987ce1 100644
--- a/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
+++ b/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ TEST(ball_and_3stick, neuron_baseline)
     };
 
     std::vector<result> results;
+    auto start = testing::tic();
     for(auto run_index=0u; run_index<cell_data.size(); ++run_index) {
         auto& run = cell_data[run_index];
         int num_compartments = run["nseg"];
@@ -274,6 +275,8 @@ TEST(ball_and_3stick, neuron_baseline)
 
         results.push_back( {num_compartments, dt, v, measurements} );
     }
+    auto time_taken = testing::toc(start);
+    std::cout << "took " << time_taken << " seconds\n";
 
     // print results
     auto colors = {memory::util::kWhite, memory::util::kGreen, memory::util::kYellow};