diff --git a/src/lava/lib/optimization/solvers/generic/read_gate/models.py b/src/lava/lib/optimization/solvers/generic/read_gate/models.py
index 70392db9..09b28566 100644
--- a/src/lava/lib/optimization/solvers/generic/read_gate/models.py
+++ b/src/lava/lib/optimization/solvers/generic/read_gate/models.py
@@ -48,18 +48,18 @@ def run_spk(self):
         cost = self.cost_in.recv()
         if cost[0]:
             self.min_cost = cost[0]
-            self.cost_out.send(np.array([0]))
+            self.cost_out.send(np.array([0], dtype=np.int32))
         elif self.solution is not None:
-            timestep = - np.array([self.time_step])
+            timestep = - np.array([self.time_step], dtype=np.int32)
             if self.min_cost <= self.target_cost:
                 self._req_pause = True
-            self.cost_out.send(np.array([self.min_cost]))
+            self.cost_out.send(np.array([self.min_cost], dtype=np.int32))
             self.send_pause_request.send(timestep)
-            self.solution_out.send(self.solution)
+            self.solution_out.send(self.solution.astype(np.int32))
             self.solution = None
             self.min_cost = None
         else:
-            self.cost_out.send(np.array([0]))
+            self.cost_out.send(np.array([0], dtype=np.int32))
 
     def run_post_mgmt(self):
         """Execute post management phase."""
diff --git a/tests/lava/tutorials/test_tutorials.py b/tests/lava/tutorials/test_tutorials.py
index 90864b88..768b1fd3 100644
--- a/tests/lava/tutorials/test_tutorials.py
+++ b/tests/lava/tutorials/test_tutorials.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class TestTutorials(unittest.TestCase):
     system_name = platform.system().lower()
 
     def _execute_notebook(self, base_dir: str, path: str) -> \
-            ty.Tuple[ty.Type[nbformat.NotebookNode], ty.List[str]]:
+            int:
         """Execute a notebook via nbconvert and collect output.
 
         Parameters
@@ -33,23 +33,23 @@ def _execute_notebook(self, base_dir: str, path: str) -> \
 
         Returns
         -------
-        Tuple
-            (parsed nbformat.NotebookNode object, list of execution errors)
+        int
+            (return code)
         """
 
         cwd = os.getcwd()
         dir_name, notebook = os.path.split(path)
         try:
             env = self._update_pythonpath(base_dir, dir_name)
-            nb = self._convert_and_execute_notebook(notebook, env)
-            errors = self._collect_errors_from_all_cells(nb)
+            result = self._convert_and_execute_notebook(notebook, env)
+            errors = self._collect_errors_from_all_cells(result)
         except Exception as e:
             nb = None
             errors = str(e)
         finally:
             os.chdir(cwd)
 
-        return nb, errors
+        return errors
 
     def _update_pythonpath(self, base_dir: str, dir_name: str) \
             -> ty.Dict[str, str]:
@@ -94,17 +94,16 @@ def _convert_and_execute_notebook(self, notebook: str,
         nb : nbformat.NotebookNode
             Notebook dict-like node with attribute-access
         """
-        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w+t", suffix=".ipynb") \
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w+t", suffix=".py") \
                 as fout:
-            args = ["jupyter", "nbconvert", "--to", "notebook", "--execute",
-                    "--ExecutePreprocessor.timeout=-1",
+            args = ["jupyter", "nbconvert", "--to", "python",
                     "--output", fout.name, notebook]
             subprocess.check_call(args, env=env)  # noqa: S603
 
             fout.seek(0)
-            return nbformat.read(fout, nbformat.current_nbformat)
+            return subprocess.run(["ipython", "-c", fout.read()], env=env)  # noqa
 
-    def _collect_errors_from_all_cells(self, nb: nbformat.NotebookNode) \
+    def _collect_errors_from_all_cells(self, result) \
             -> ty.List[str]:
         """Collect errors from executed notebook.
 
@@ -118,13 +117,9 @@ def _collect_errors_from_all_cells(self, nb: nbformat.NotebookNode) \
         List
             Collection of errors
         """
-        errors = []
-        for cell in nb.cells:
-            if 'outputs' in cell:
-                for output in cell['outputs']:
-                    if output.output_type == 'error':
-                        errors.append(output)
-        return errors
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            result.check_returncode()
+        return result.returncode
 
     def _run_notebook(self, notebook: str):
         """Run a specific notebook
@@ -157,18 +152,10 @@ def _run_notebook(self, notebook: str):
 
             # If the notebook is found execute it and store any errors
             for notebook_name in discovered_notebooks:
-                nb, errors = self._execute_notebook(
-                    str(tutorials_directory),
-                    notebook_name
+                errors = self._execute_notebook(
+                    str(tutorials_directory), notebook_name
                 )
-                errors_joined = "\n".join(errors) if isinstance(
-                    errors, list) else errors
-                if errors:
-                    errors_record[notebook_name] = (errors_joined, nb)
-
-            self.assertFalse(errors_record,
-                             "Failed to execute Jupyter Notebooks \
-                                 with errors: \n {}".format(errors_record))
+                self.assertEqual(errors, 0)
         finally:
             os.chdir(cwd)