diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index 9fd797fb..6049a572 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ run:
   tests: true
   timeout: 15m
   sort-results: true
-  exclude-dir: testing/simapp
   skip-files:
     - server/grpc/gogoreflection/fix_registration.go
     - "fix_registration.go"
diff --git a/testing/simapp/sim_test.go b/testing/simapp/sim_test.go
index c869b9e2..a543244b 100644
--- a/testing/simapp/sim_test.go
+++ b/testing/simapp/sim_test.go
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ func TestAppImportExport(t *testing.T) {
 
 	fmt.Printf("importing genesis...\n")
 
-	_, newDB, newDir, _, _, err := SetupSimulation("leveldb-app-sim-2", "Simulation-2")
+	_, newDB, newDir, _, skip, err := SetupSimulation("leveldb-app-sim-2", "Simulation-2")
+	if skip {
+		t.Skip("skipping application import/export simulation")
+	}
 	require.NoError(t, err, "simulation setup failed")
 
 	defer func() {
@@ -246,7 +249,10 @@ func TestAppSimulationAfterImport(t *testing.T) {
 
 	fmt.Printf("importing genesis...\n")
 
-	_, newDB, newDir, _, _, err := SetupSimulation("leveldb-app-sim-2", "Simulation-2")
+	_, newDB, newDir, _, skip, err := SetupSimulation("leveldb-app-sim-2", "Simulation-2")
+	if skip {
+		t.Skip("skipping application import/export simulation")
+	}
 	require.NoError(t, err, "simulation setup failed")
 
 	defer func() {
diff --git a/testing/simapp/test_helpers.go b/testing/simapp/test_helpers.go
index c7038d12..e78a7eba 100644
--- a/testing/simapp/test_helpers.go
+++ b/testing/simapp/test_helpers.go
@@ -235,9 +235,15 @@ func createIncrementalAccounts(accNum int) []sdk.AccAddress {
 	// start at 100 so we can make up to 999 test addresses with valid test addresses
 	for i := 100; i < (accNum + 100); i++ {
 		numString := strconv.Itoa(i)
-		buffer.WriteString("A58856F0FD53BF058B4909A21AEC019107BA6") // base address string
+		_, err := buffer.WriteString("A58856F0FD53BF058B4909A21AEC019107BA6") // base address string
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 
-		buffer.WriteString(numString) // adding on final two digits to make addresses unique
+		_, err = buffer.WriteString(numString) // adding on final two digits to make addresses unique
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 		res, _ := sdk.AccAddressFromHexUnsafe(buffer.String())
 		bech := res.String()
 		addr, _ := TestAddr(buffer.String(), bech)
@@ -328,6 +334,7 @@ func TestAddr(addr string, bech string) (sdk.AccAddress, error) {
 
 // CheckBalance checks the balance of an account.
 func CheckBalance(t *testing.T, app *SimApp, addr sdk.AccAddress, balances sdk.Coins) {
+	t.Helper()
 	ctxCheck := app.BaseApp.NewContext(true, tmproto.Header{})
 	require.True(t, balances.IsEqual(app.BankKeeper.GetAllBalances(ctxCheck, addr)))
 }
@@ -340,6 +347,7 @@ func SignAndDeliver(
 	t *testing.T, txCfg client.TxConfig, app *bam.BaseApp, header tmproto.Header, msgs []sdk.Msg,
 	chainID string, accNums, accSeqs []uint64, expSimPass, expPass bool, priv ...cryptotypes.PrivKey,
 ) (sdk.GasInfo, *sdk.Result, error) {
+	t.Helper()
 	tx, err := helpers.GenTx(
 		txCfg,
 		msgs,
@@ -406,8 +414,15 @@ func CreateTestPubKeys(numPubKeys int) []cryptotypes.PubKey {
 	// start at 10 to avoid changing 1 to 01, 2 to 02, etc
 	for i := 100; i < (numPubKeys + 100); i++ {
 		numString := strconv.Itoa(i)
-		buffer.WriteString("0B485CFC0EECC619440448436F8FC9DF40566F2369E72400281454CB552AF") // base pubkey string
-		buffer.WriteString(numString)                                                       // adding on final two digits to make pubkeys unique
+
+		_, err := buffer.WriteString("0B485CFC0EECC619440448436F8FC9DF40566F2369E72400281454CB552AF") // base pubkey string
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		_, err = buffer.WriteString(numString) // adding on final two digits to make pubkeys unique
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 		publicKeys = append(publicKeys, NewPubKeyFromHex(buffer.String()))
 		buffer.Reset()
 	}