diff --git a/SAS/TMSS/src/tmss/tmssapp/populate.py b/SAS/TMSS/src/tmss/tmssapp/populate.py
index b90395259f27118a24479bbb146c2e4a6768fedb..c95fff73ae7fbf05eb91fa319e60084a6ddf3dec 100644
--- a/SAS/TMSS/src/tmss/tmssapp/populate.py
+++ b/SAS/TMSS/src/tmss/tmssapp/populate.py
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 import json
-from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.models.specification import Role, Datatype, Dataformat, CopyReason, TaskTemplate, ResourceType, ResourceUnit
-from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.models.scheduling import SubtaskState, SubtaskType, SubtaskTemplate, Subtask, \
-    StationType, Algorithm, ScheduleMethod, Cluster, Filesystem, SubtaskInputSelectionTemplate
+from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.subtasks import *
+from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.models.specification import *
+from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.models.scheduling import *
 from lofar.common.json_utils import *
 from lofar.common import isTestEnvironment, isDevelopmentEnvironment
 
@@ -186,11 +186,10 @@ def _populate_example_data():
         from datetime import datetime
         from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp import models
         from lofar.sas.tmss.test.tmss_test_data_django_models import TaskDraft_test_data, TaskBlueprint_test_data, SubtaskOutput_test_data, Dataproduct_test_data, Subtask_test_data
-        from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss.tmssapp.subtasks import create_observation_to_qafile_subtask, create_qafile_to_qaplots_subtask, connect_observation_subtask_to_preprocessing_subtask
 
         cluster = Cluster.objects.get(name="CEP4")
 
-        for i in range(10 if isTestEnvironment() else 2 if isDevelopmentEnvironment() else 0):
+        for i in range(10 if isTestEnvironment() else 1 if isDevelopmentEnvironment() else 0):
             task_template = models.TaskTemplate.objects.get(name='correlator schema')
             task_draft_data = TaskDraft_test_data(name="my test obs", specifications_template=task_template)
             task_draft = models.TaskDraft.objects.create(**task_draft_data)
@@ -220,6 +219,8 @@ def _populate_example_data():
             subtask_data = Subtask_test_data(task_blueprint=task_blueprint, subtask_template=subtask_template,
                                              specifications_doc=specifications_doc, cluster=cluster)
             subtask = models.Subtask.objects.create(**subtask_data)
+            subtask.state = SubtaskState.objects.get(value=SubtaskState.Choices.DEFINED.value)
+            subtask.save()
 
             subtask_output = models.SubtaskOutput.objects.create(**SubtaskOutput_test_data(subtask=subtask))
             for sb_nr in specifications_doc['stations']['digital_pointings'][0]['subbands']:
@@ -237,9 +238,35 @@ def _populate_example_data():
             connect_observation_subtask_to_preprocessing_subtask(subtask, pipe_subtask)
 
             try:
-                # automatically append an qafile and qaplots conversion subtask to it.
+                # automatically append an qafile conversion subtask to it.
+                # TODO: this call to create_observation_to_qafile_subtask should happen in the Task to Subtasks expansion
                 qafile_subtask = create_observation_to_qafile_subtask(subtask)
+
+                # TODO: this call to schedule_qafile_subtask should happen in a onSubTaskFinished method
+                # before we can mimic scheduling the qafile_subtask, the observation has to be finished...
+                # let's fake/force that here.... (HACK)
+                subtask.state = SubtaskState.objects.get(value=SubtaskState.Choices.FINISHED.value)
+                subtask.save()
+                # ...scheduling...
+                qafile_subtask = schedule_qafile_subtask(qafile_subtask)
+                # ... and put the obs back to defined (HACK)
+                subtask.state = SubtaskState.objects.get(value=SubtaskState.Choices.DEFINED.value)
+                subtask.save()
+
+                # automatically append a qaplots conversion subtask to it.
+                # TODO: this call to create_observation_to_qafile_subtask should happen in the Task to Subtasks expansion
                 qaplots_subtask = create_qafile_to_qaplots_subtask(qafile_subtask)
+
+                # TODO: this call to schedule_qaplots_subtask should happen in a onSubTaskFinished method
+                # before we can mimic scheduling the qafile_subtask, the qafile_subtask has to be finished...
+                # let's fake/force that here.... (HACK)
+                qafile_subtask.state = SubtaskState.objects.get(value=SubtaskState.Choices.FINISHED.value)
+                qafile_subtask.save()
+                # ...scheduling...
+                schedule_qaplots_subtask(qaplots_subtask)
+                # ... and put the qafile_subtask back to defined (HACK)
+                qafile_subtask.state = SubtaskState.objects.get(value=SubtaskState.Choices.SCHEDULED.value)
+                qafile_subtask.save()
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.exception(e)
     except ImportError: