diff --git a/effort_controllers/test/test_joint_group_effort_controller.cpp b/effort_controllers/test/test_joint_group_effort_controller.cpp
index c19cbff9cf..1ffa757478 100644
--- a/effort_controllers/test/test_joint_group_effort_controller.cpp
+++ b/effort_controllers/test/test_joint_group_effort_controller.cpp
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ TEST_F(JointGroupEffortControllerTest, ActivateWithWrongJointsNamesFails)
   // activate failed, 'joint4' is not a valid joint name for the hardware
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_cleanup(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 
   controller_->get_node()->set_parameter({"joints", std::vector<std::string>{"joint1", "joint2"}});
 
-  // activate failed, 'acceleration' is not a registered interface for `joint1`
+  // activate should succeed now
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
-  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 }
 
 TEST_F(JointGroupEffortControllerTest, CommandSuccessTest)
diff --git a/position_controllers/test/test_joint_group_position_controller.cpp b/position_controllers/test/test_joint_group_position_controller.cpp
index 96a5cead17..a9dd4517e9 100644
--- a/position_controllers/test/test_joint_group_position_controller.cpp
+++ b/position_controllers/test/test_joint_group_position_controller.cpp
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ TEST_F(JointGroupPositionControllerTest, ActivateWithWrongJointsNamesFails)
   // activate failed, 'joint4' is not a valid joint name for the hardware
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_cleanup(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 
   controller_->get_node()->set_parameter({"joints", std::vector<std::string>{"joint1", "joint2"}});
 
-  // activate failed, 'acceleration' is not a registered interface for `joint1`
+  // activate should succeed now
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
-  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 }
 
 TEST_F(JointGroupPositionControllerTest, CommandSuccessTest)
diff --git a/velocity_controllers/test/test_joint_group_velocity_controller.cpp b/velocity_controllers/test/test_joint_group_velocity_controller.cpp
index d781b6ca5c..31ba67ec60 100644
--- a/velocity_controllers/test/test_joint_group_velocity_controller.cpp
+++ b/velocity_controllers/test/test_joint_group_velocity_controller.cpp
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ TEST_F(JointGroupVelocityControllerTest, ActivateWithWrongJointsNamesFails)
   // activate failed, 'joint4' is not a valid joint name for the hardware
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_cleanup(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 
   controller_->get_node()->set_parameter({"joints", std::vector<std::string>{"joint1", "joint2"}});
 
-  // activate failed, 'acceleration' is not a registered interface for `joint1`
+  // activate should succeed now
   ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_configure(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
-  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::ERROR);
+  ASSERT_EQ(controller_->on_activate(rclcpp_lifecycle::State()), CallbackReturn::SUCCESS);
 }
 
 TEST_F(JointGroupVelocityControllerTest, CommandSuccessTest)