diff --git a/artiq/test/hardware_testbench.py b/artiq/test/hardware_testbench.py
index aa6c9d39e..721802b87 100644
--- a/artiq/test/hardware_testbench.py
+++ b/artiq/test/hardware_testbench.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def get_from_ddb(*path, default="skip"):
     try:
         for p in path:
             v = v[p]
-        return v.read
+        return v
     except KeyError:
         if default == "skip":
             raise unittest.SkipTest("device db path {} not found".format(path))
diff --git a/artiq/test/lda.py b/artiq/test/lda.py
index 5231b7964..a477ea535 100644
--- a/artiq/test/lda.py
+++ b/artiq/test/lda.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ class GenericLdaTest:
         for i in test_vector:
             with self.subTest(i=i):
                 self.cont.set_attenuation(i)
-                self.assertEqual(i, self.cont.get_attenuation())
+                j = self.cont.get_attenuation()
+                self.assertEqual(i, j)
 
 
 class TestLda(GenericLdaTest, unittest.TestCase):