diff --git a/samples/package.json b/samples/package.json
index 23569cbf..4b196167 100644
--- a/samples/package.json
+++ b/samples/package.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     "node": ">=8"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "ava -T 20s --verbose system-test/*.test.js"
+    "test": "mocha system-test/*.test.js --timeout 600000"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@google-cloud/speech": "^2.1.1",
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools": "^2.3.0",
-    "ava": "^0.25.0",
+    "mocha": "^5.2.0",
     "proxyquire": "^2.0.1",
     "sinon": "^7.0.0",
     "uuid": "^3.3.0"
diff --git a/samples/system-test/.eslintrc.yml b/samples/system-test/.eslintrc.yml
index c0289282..75216436 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/.eslintrc.yml
+++ b/samples/system-test/.eslintrc.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 ---
+env:
+  mocha: true
 rules:
   node/no-unpublished-require: off
   node/no-unsupported-features: off
diff --git a/samples/system-test/MicrophoneStream.test.js b/samples/system-test/MicrophoneStream.test.js
index fa385777..aff8f188 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/MicrophoneStream.test.js
+++ b/samples/system-test/MicrophoneStream.test.js
@@ -16,15 +16,17 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const path = require(`path`);
-const test = require(`ava`);
+const assert = require(`assert`);
 
 const {runAsync} = require(`@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools`);
 const cmd = `node MicrophoneStream.js`;
 const cwd = path.join(__dirname, `..`);
 
-test(`MicrophoneStream.js Should load and display Yaaaarghs(!) correctly`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} --help`, cwd);
-  t.true(
-    output.includes('Streams audio input from microphone, translates to text')
-  );
+describe(`MicrophoneStream`, () => {
+  it(`MicrophoneStream.js Should load and display Yaaaarghs(!) correctly`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} --help`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes('Streams audio input from microphone, translates to text')
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/samples/system-test/betaFeatures.test.js b/samples/system-test/betaFeatures.test.js
index 1a080fd8..2242cc1e 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/betaFeatures.test.js
+++ b/samples/system-test/betaFeatures.test.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const path = require(`path`);
-const test = require(`ava`);
+const assert = require(`assert`);
 
 const {runAsync} = require(`@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools`);
 
@@ -48,63 +48,77 @@ const multiUri = `gs://nodejs-docs-samples/multi_mono.wav`;
 const brooklynUri = `gs://cloud-samples-tests/speech/brooklyn.flac`;
 const stereoUri = `gs://cloud-samples-tests/speech/commercial_stereo.wav`;
 
-test(`should run speech diarization on a local file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} Diarization -f ${monoFilePath}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`speakerTag: 1`) && output.includes(`speakerTag: 2`));
-});
-
-test(`should run speech diarization on a GCS file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} DiarizationGCS -u ${monoUri}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`speakerTag: 1`) && output.includes(`speakerTag: 2`));
-});
-
-test(`should run multi channel transcription on a local file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} multiChannelTranscribe -f ${stereoFilePath}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Channel Tag: 2`));
-});
-
-test(`should run multi channel transcription on GCS file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} multiChannelTranscribeGCS -u ${stereoUri}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Channel Tag: 2`));
-});
-
-test(`should transcribe multi-language on a local file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} multiLanguageTranscribe -f ${multiLanguageFile}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: how are you doing estoy bien e tu`));
-});
-
-test(`should transcribe multi-language on a GCS bucket`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} multiLanguageTranscribeGCS -u ${multiUri}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: how are you doing estoy bien e tu`));
-});
-
-test(`should run word Level Confience on a local file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} wordLevelConfidence -f ${BrooklynFilePath}`
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: how old is the Brooklyn Bridge`));
-  t.true(/Confidence: \d\.\d/.test(output));
-});
-
-test(`should run word level confidence on a GCS bucket`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} wordLevelConfidenceGCS -u ${brooklynUri}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(
-    output.includes(`Transcription: how old is the Brooklyn Bridge`) &&
-      /Confidence: \d\.\d/.test(output)
-  );
+describe(`BetaFeatures`, () => {
+
+  it(`should run speech diarization on a local file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} Diarization -f ${monoFilePath}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes(`speakerTag: 1`) && output.includes(`speakerTag: 2`)
+    );
+  });
+
+  it(`should run speech diarization on a GCS file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} DiarizationGCS -u ${monoUri}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes(`speakerTag: 1`) && output.includes(`speakerTag: 2`)
+    );
+  });
+
+  it(`should run multi channel transcription on a local file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} multiChannelTranscribe -f ${stereoFilePath}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Channel Tag: 2`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run multi channel transcription on GCS file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} multiChannelTranscribeGCS -u ${stereoUri}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Channel Tag: 2`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should transcribe multi-language on a local file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} multiLanguageTranscribe -f ${multiLanguageFile}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: how are you doing estoy bien e tu`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should transcribe multi-language on a GCS bucket`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} multiLanguageTranscribeGCS -u ${multiUri}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes(`Transcription: how are you doing estoy bien e tu`)
+    );
+  });
+
+  it(`should run word Level Confience on a local file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} wordLevelConfidence -f ${BrooklynFilePath}`
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes(`Transcription: how old is the Brooklyn Bridge`)
+    );
+    assert.ok(/Confidence: \d\.\d/.test(output));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run word level confidence on a GCS bucket`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} wordLevelConfidenceGCS -u ${brooklynUri}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      output.includes(`Transcription: how old is the Brooklyn Bridge`) &&
+        /Confidence: \d\.\d/.test(output)
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/samples/system-test/quickstart.test.js b/samples/system-test/quickstart.test.js
index 56dd390d..9d0b2c28 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/quickstart.test.js
+++ b/samples/system-test/quickstart.test.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const path = require(`path`);
-const test = require(`ava`);
+const assert = require(`assert`);
 
 const cmd = `node quickstart.js`;
 const cwd = path.join(__dirname, `..`);
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ const text = `how old is the Brooklyn Bridge`;
 
 const {runAsync} = require(`@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools`);
 
-test.before(async () => {});
-
-test(`should run quickstart`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+describe(`Quickstart`, () => {
+  it(`should run quickstart`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/samples/system-test/recognize.test.js b/samples/system-test/recognize.test.js
index 700ad25b..da595c19 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/recognize.test.js
+++ b/samples/system-test/recognize.test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 const path = require(`path`);
 const {Storage} = require(`@google-cloud/storage`);
-const test = require(`ava`);
+const assert = require(`assert`);
 const uuid = require(`uuid`);
 
 const {runAsync} = require(`@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools`);
@@ -37,92 +37,100 @@ const text1 = `the weather outside is sunny`;
 const text2 = `Terrific. It's on the way.`;
 const text3 = `Chrome`;
 
-test.before(async () => {
-  const [bucket] = await storage.createBucket(bucketName);
-  await bucket.upload(filepath);
-  await bucket.upload(filepath1);
-});
-
-test.after.always(async () => {
-  const bucket = storage.bucket(bucketName);
-  await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true});
-  await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true}); // Try a second time...
-  await bucket.delete();
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync ${filepath}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize on a GCS file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} sync-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize with word time offset`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-words ${filepath}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
-  t.true(new RegExp(`\\d+\\.\\d+ secs - \\d+\\.\\d+ secs`).test(output));
-});
-
-test(`should run async recognize on a local file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} async ${filepath}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
-});
-
-test(`should run async recognize on a GCS file`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} async-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
-});
-
-test(`should run async recognize on a GCS file with word time offset`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} async-gcs-words gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
-  // Check for word time offsets
-  t.true(new RegExp(`\\d+\\.\\d+ secs - \\d+\\.\\d+ secs`).test(output));
-});
-
-test(`should run streaming recognize`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} stream ${filepath}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize with model selection`, async t => {
-  const model = `video`;
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-model ${filepath1} ${model}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription:`));
-  t.true(output.includes(text1));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize on a GCS file with model selection`, async t => {
-  const model = `video`;
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} sync-model-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename1} ${model}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(`Transcription:`));
-  t.true(output.includes(text1));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize with auto punctuation`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(
-    `${cmd} sync-auto-punctuation ${filepath2}`,
-    cwd
-  );
-  t.true(output.includes(text2));
-});
-
-test(`should run sync recognize with enhanced model`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-enhanced-model ${filepath2}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(text3));
+describe(`Recognize`, () => {
+  before(async () => {
+    const [bucket] = await storage.createBucket(bucketName);
+    await bucket.upload(filepath);
+    await bucket.upload(filepath1);
+  });
+
+  after(async () => {
+    const bucket = storage.bucket(bucketName);
+    await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true});
+    await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true}); // Try a second time...
+    await bucket.delete();
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync ${filepath}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize on a GCS file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} sync-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize with word time offset`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-words ${filepath}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription:  ${text}`));
+    assert.ok(new RegExp(`\\d+\\.\\d+ secs - \\d+\\.\\d+ secs`).test(output));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run async recognize on a local file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} async ${filepath}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run async recognize on a GCS file`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} async-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run async recognize on a GCS file with word time offset`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} async-gcs-words gs://${bucketName}/${filename}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+    // Check for word time offsets
+    assert.ok(new RegExp(`\\d+\\.\\d+ secs - \\d+\\.\\d+ secs`).test(output));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run streaming recognize`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} stream ${filepath}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription: ${text}`));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize with model selection`, async () => {
+    const model = `video`;
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} sync-model ${filepath1} ${model}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription:`));
+    assert.ok(output.includes(text1));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize on a GCS file with model selection`, async () => {
+    const model = `video`;
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} sync-model-gcs gs://${bucketName}/${filename1} ${model}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(`Transcription:`));
+    assert.ok(output.includes(text1));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize with auto punctuation`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} sync-auto-punctuation ${filepath2}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(text2));
+  });
+
+  it(`should run sync recognize with enhanced model`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(
+      `${cmd} sync-enhanced-model ${filepath2}`,
+      cwd
+    );
+    assert.ok(output.includes(text3));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/samples/system-test/recognize.v1p1beta1.test.js b/samples/system-test/recognize.v1p1beta1.test.js
index 792850b5..8699ae7e 100644
--- a/samples/system-test/recognize.v1p1beta1.test.js
+++ b/samples/system-test/recognize.v1p1beta1.test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 const path = require(`path`);
 const {Storage} = require(`@google-cloud/storage`);
-const test = require(`ava`);
+const assert = require(`assert`);
 const uuid = require(`uuid`);
 const {runAsync} = require(`@google-cloud/nodejs-repo-tools`);
 const storage = new Storage();
@@ -31,19 +31,21 @@ const filepath2 = path.join(__dirname, `../resources/${filename2}`);
 
 const text = `Chrome`;
 
-test.before(async () => {
-  const [bucket] = await storage.createBucket(bucketName);
-  await bucket.upload(filepath1);
-});
+describe(`Recognize v1p1beta1`, () => {
+  before(async () => {
+    const [bucket] = await storage.createBucket(bucketName);
+    await bucket.upload(filepath1);
+  });
 
-test.after.always(async () => {
-  const bucket = storage.bucket(bucketName);
-  await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true});
-  await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true}); // Try a second time...
-  await bucket.delete();
-});
+  after(async () => {
+    const bucket = storage.bucket(bucketName);
+    await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true});
+    await bucket.deleteFiles({force: true}); // Try a second time...
+    await bucket.delete();
+  });
 
-test(`should run sync recognize with metadata`, async t => {
-  const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-metadata ${filepath2}`, cwd);
-  t.true(output.includes(text));
+  it(`should run sync recognize with metadata`, async () => {
+    const output = await runAsync(`${cmd} sync-metadata ${filepath2}`, cwd);
+    assert.ok(output.includes(text));
+  });
 });