diff --git a/test/test_scripts_and_data/compare_dbs.py b/test/test_scripts_and_data/compare_dbs.py
index 9714f44..39f7f91 100644
--- a/test/test_scripts_and_data/compare_dbs.py
+++ b/test/test_scripts_and_data/compare_dbs.py
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 import numpy as np
 import json
 
+
+# TODO: more sophisticated checks for these keys
+KEYS_TO_SKIP = ["parameter-values"]
+
+
 def compare_db_to_reference(reference_json_path: str, test_db_path: str, float_fractional_tolerance: float = 0.01):
     """
     Compare a montydb generated by tests in the KDP to a reference json file. 
@@ -30,7 +35,7 @@ def compare_db_to_reference(reference_json_path: str, test_db_path: str, float_f
                     # VC comments may be a string with float numbers embedded, too much hassle to test
                     continue
                 if isinstance(reference_result[key],dict):                
-                    if "source-value" in reference_result[key]:
+                    if ("source-value" in reference_result[key]) and (key not in KEYS_TO_SKIP):
                         # ok, this is a property key, search for this result                    
                         # generic error message
                         error_message_specifying_pair_and_key = "\n\nTest failed while comparing to key '%s' in instance-id %d in reference runner-subject pair %s:\n" \
@@ -39,8 +44,6 @@ def compare_db_to_reference(reference_json_path: str, test_db_path: str, float_f
                         # get numpy array of the source-value from the reference db
                         reference_source_value_array = np.asarray(reference_result[key]["source-value"])                    
 
-
-
                         """
                         MONTYDB VERSION NOTE:
                             In 2.1.1, the version in the KDP, querying the  /pipeline/db like this gives and requires dicts
@@ -54,8 +57,7 @@ def compare_db_to_reference(reference_json_path: str, test_db_path: str, float_f
                             "meta.uuid":{"$regex":reference_runner_and_subject},
                             "instance-id.$numberInt":str(reference_instance_id)
                         }                    
-                        project={key:1,"_id":False}
-                        cursor=db.data.find(query,projection=project)
+                        cursor=db.data.find(query)
 
                         # get numpy array of the source-value from the DB we are testing
                         try: