diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/gpu-tests.yml b/.azure-pipelines/gpu-tests.yml
index f1af36a6090b9..6536d7ab318e0 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/gpu-tests.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/gpu-tests.yml
@@ -61,57 +61,8 @@ jobs:
         python -c "import torch ; mgpu = torch.cuda.device_count() ; assert mgpu >= 2, f'GPU: {mgpu}'"
       displayName: 'Env details'
 
-    - bash: |
-        wget https://pl-public-data.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/checkpoints.zip -P legacy/
-        unzip -o legacy/checkpoints.zip -d legacy/
-        ls -l legacy/checkpoints/
-      displayName: 'Get legacy checkpoints'
-
-    - bash: |
-        python -m coverage run --source pytorch_lightning -m pytest pytorch_lightning tests -v --junitxml=$(Build.StagingDirectory)/test-results.xml --durations=50
-      displayName: 'Testing: standard'
-
     - bash: |
         bash tests/special_tests.sh
       env:
         PL_USE_MOCKED_MNIST: "1"
       displayName: 'Testing: special'
-
-    - bash: |
-        python -m coverage report
-        python -m coverage xml
-        python -m coverage html
-        python -m codecov --token=$(CODECOV_TOKEN) --commit=$(Build.SourceVersion) --flags=gpu,pytest --name="GPU-coverage" --env=linux,azure
-        ls -l
-      displayName: 'Statistics'
-
-    - task: PublishTestResults@2
-      displayName: 'Publish test results'
-      inputs:
-        testResultsFiles: '$(Build.StagingDirectory)/test-results.xml'
-        testRunTitle: '$(Agent.OS) - $(Build.DefinitionName) - Python $(python.version)'
-      condition: succeededOrFailed()
-
-    # todo: re-enable after schema check pass, also atm it seems does not have any effect
-    #- task: PublishCodeCoverageResults@2
-    #  displayName: 'Publish coverage report'
-    #  inputs:
-    #    codeCoverageTool: 'Cobertura'
-    #    summaryFileLocation: 'coverage.xml'
-    #    reportDirectory: '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/htmlcov'
-    #    testRunTitle: '$(Agent.OS) - $(Build.BuildNumber)[$(Agent.JobName)] - Python $(python.version)'
-    #  condition: succeededOrFailed()
-
-    - script: |
-        set -e
-        python -m pytest pl_examples -v --maxfail=2 --durations=0
-        bash pl_examples/run_examples.sh --trainer.gpus=1
-        bash pl_examples/run_examples.sh --trainer.gpus=2 --trainer.strategy=ddp
-        bash pl_examples/run_examples.sh --trainer.gpus=2 --trainer.strategy=ddp --trainer.precision=16
-      env:
-        PL_USE_MOCKED_MNIST: "1"
-      displayName: 'Testing: examples'
-
-    - bash: |
-        python -m pytest benchmarks -v --maxfail=2 --durations=0
-      displayName: 'Testing: benchmarks'
diff --git a/tests/special_tests.sh b/tests/special_tests.sh
index 1c001fda8b289..ee1581c0b79a0 100755
--- a/tests/special_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/special_tests.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-set -e
+set -ex
 
 # this environment variable allows special tests to run
 export PL_RUNNING_SPECIAL_TESTS=1