They must have improved testing then, or improved their processes, because the last time I evaluated testing it was properly "half unstable, half unusable" Adm

They must have improved testing then, or improved their processes, because the last time I evaluated testing it was properly "half unstable, half unusable" Admittedly that was a while ago! Testing, depending on what part of the release cycle you are in, can be a few weeks behind Sid or significantly more, though. Most upstream release managers probably pay some attention to the release cycles nowadays so, with luck you wouldn't notice this too much. (The start date of the testing freeze is well publicized in advance and known, so competent release managers should avoid potentially breaking/broken updates immediately before that date, if I remember correctly how this works.)