diff --git a/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.cc b/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.cc
index 2dfd54a2e4..760f8c2d87 100644
--- a/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.cc
@@ -152,6 +152,37 @@ TesterThread::issueNewEpisode()
     episodeHistory.push_back(curEpisode);
 }
 
+int
+TesterThread::getTokensNeeded()
+{
+    if (!tokenPort) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    int tokens_needed = 0;
+    curAction = curEpisode->peekCurAction();
+
+    switch(curAction->getType()) {
+        case Episode::Action::Type::ATOMIC:
+            tokens_needed = numLanes;
+            break;
+        case Episode::Action::Type::LOAD:
+        case Episode::Action::Type::STORE:
+            for (int lane = 0; lane < numLanes; ++lane) {
+                Location loc = curAction->getLocation(lane);
+
+                if (loc != AddressManager::INVALID_LOCATION && loc >= 0) {
+                    tokens_needed++;
+                }
+            }
+            break;
+        default:
+            tokens_needed = 0;
+    }
+
+    return tokens_needed;
+}
+
 bool
 TesterThread::isNextActionReady()
 {
@@ -162,10 +193,13 @@ TesterThread::isNextActionReady()
 
         // Only GPU wavefront threads have a token port. For all other types
         // of threads evaluate to true.
-        bool haveTokens = tokenPort ? tokenPort->haveTokens(numLanes) : true;
+        bool haveTokens = true;
 
         switch(curAction->getType()) {
             case Episode::Action::Type::ATOMIC:
+                haveTokens = tokenPort ?
+                    tokenPort->haveTokens(getTokensNeeded()) : true;
+
                 // an atomic action must wait for all previous requests
                 // to complete
                 if (pendingLdStCount == 0 &&
@@ -206,7 +240,7 @@ TesterThread::isNextActionReady()
                 assert(pendingAtomicCount == 0);
 
                 // can't issue if there is a pending fence
-                if (pendingFenceCount > 0 || !haveTokens) {
+                if (pendingFenceCount > 0) {
                     return false;
                 }
 
@@ -215,7 +249,7 @@ TesterThread::isNextActionReady()
                 for (int lane = 0; lane < numLanes; ++lane) {
                     Location loc = curAction->getLocation(lane);
 
-                    if (loc != AddressManager::INVALID_LOCATION) {
+                    if (loc != AddressManager::INVALID_LOCATION && loc >= 0) {
                         Addr addr = addrManager->getAddress(loc);
 
                         if (outstandingLoads.find(addr) !=
@@ -237,6 +271,12 @@ TesterThread::isNextActionReady()
                     }
                 }
 
+                haveTokens = tokenPort ?
+                    tokenPort->haveTokens(getTokensNeeded()) : true;
+                if (!haveTokens) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+
                 return true;
             default:
                 panic("The tester got an invalid action\n");
@@ -250,7 +290,7 @@ TesterThread::issueNextAction()
     switch(curAction->getType()) {
         case Episode::Action::Type::ATOMIC:
             if (tokenPort) {
-                tokenPort->acquireTokens(numLanes);
+                tokenPort->acquireTokens(getTokensNeeded());
             }
             issueAtomicOps();
             break;
@@ -262,13 +302,13 @@ TesterThread::issueNextAction()
             break;
         case Episode::Action::Type::LOAD:
             if (tokenPort) {
-                tokenPort->acquireTokens(numLanes);
+                tokenPort->acquireTokens(getTokensNeeded());
             }
             issueLoadOps();
             break;
         case Episode::Action::Type::STORE:
             if (tokenPort) {
-                tokenPort->acquireTokens(numLanes);
+                tokenPort->acquireTokens(getTokensNeeded());
             }
             issueStoreOps();
             break;
diff --git a/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.hh b/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.hh
index 5612df969e..9877d63c24 100644
--- a/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/testers/gpu_ruby_test/tester_thread.hh
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ class TesterThread : public ClockedObject
     // constraints and is ready to issue
     bool isNextActionReady();
     void issueNextAction();
+    int getTokensNeeded();
 
     // issue Ops to Ruby memory
     // must be implemented by a child class