diff --git a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/WaitUtils.java b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/WaitUtils.java
index 235553adee..a02701d0a8 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/WaitUtils.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/WaitUtils.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 public class WaitUtils {
   public static void waitFor(final ThrowingRunnable condition) {
-    Awaitility.await().ignoreExceptions().atMost(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS).untilAsserted(condition);
+    waitFor(30, condition);
   }
 
   public static void waitFor(final int timeout, final ThrowingRunnable condition) {
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/condition/blockchain/ExpectBlockNumberAbove.java b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/condition/blockchain/ExpectBlockNumberAbove.java
index 9f67cd5127..471d3024c0 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/condition/blockchain/ExpectBlockNumberAbove.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/condition/blockchain/ExpectBlockNumberAbove.java
@@ -24,14 +24,23 @@
 public class ExpectBlockNumberAbove implements Condition {
   private final EthTransactions eth;
   private final BigInteger blockNumber;
+  private final int timeout;
 
   public ExpectBlockNumberAbove(final EthTransactions eth, final BigInteger blockNumber) {
+    this(eth, blockNumber, 30);
+  }
+
+  public ExpectBlockNumberAbove(
+      final EthTransactions eth, final BigInteger blockNumber, final int timeout) {
     this.eth = eth;
     this.blockNumber = blockNumber;
+    this.timeout = timeout;
   }
 
   @Override
   public void verify(final Node node) {
-    waitFor(() -> assertThat(node.execute(eth.blockNumber())).isGreaterThanOrEqualTo(blockNumber));
+    waitFor(
+        timeout,
+        () -> assertThat(node.execute(eth.blockNumber())).isGreaterThanOrEqualTo(blockNumber));
   }
 }
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/waitcondition/WaitConditions.java b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/waitcondition/WaitConditions.java
index 6a17848d90..ebb3b8ede2 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/waitcondition/WaitConditions.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/dsl/waitcondition/WaitConditions.java
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ public WaitCondition chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(
     return new ExpectBlockNumberAbove(eth, futureBlock)::verify;
   }
 
+  public WaitCondition chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(
+      final PantheonNode node, final int blocksAheadOfLatest, final int timeout) {
+    final BigInteger futureBlock =
+        node.execute(eth.blockNumber()).add(BigInteger.valueOf(blocksAheadOfLatest));
+    return new ExpectBlockNumberAbove(eth, futureBlock, timeout)::verify;
+  }
+
   public WaitCondition cliqueValidatorsChanged(final Node node) {
     return new WaitUntilSignersChanged(node.execute(clique.createGetSigners(LATEST)), clique);
   }
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/ibft/IbftMiningAcceptanceTest.java b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/ibft/IbftMiningAcceptanceTest.java
index 192f256a1a..fcbf42fd28 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/ibft/IbftMiningAcceptanceTest.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/src/test/java/tech/pegasys/pantheon/tests/acceptance/ibft/IbftMiningAcceptanceTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ public class IbftMiningAcceptanceTest extends AcceptanceTestBase {
   public void shouldMineOnSingleNode() throws IOException {
     final PantheonNode minerNode = pantheon.createIbftNode("miner1");
     cluster.start(minerNode);
+
     cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(minerNode, 1));
 
     final Account sender = accounts.createAccount("account1");
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ public void shouldMineOnMultipleNodes() throws IOException {
     final PantheonNode minerNode4 = pantheon.createIbftNode("miner4");
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3, minerNode4);
 
-    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(minerNode1, 1));
+    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(minerNode1, 1, 85));
 
     final Account sender = accounts.createAccount("account1");
     final Account receiver = accounts.createAccount("account2");
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ public void shouldMineOnMultipleNodesEvenWhenClusterContainsNonValidator() throw
         pantheon.createIbftNodeWithValidators("non-validator", validators);
     cluster.start(validator1, validator2, validator3, nonValidatorNode);
 
-    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(validator1, 1));
+    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(validator1, 1, 85));
 
     final Account sender = accounts.createAccount("account1");
     final Account receiver = accounts.createAccount("account2");
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ public void shouldStillMineWhenANonProposerNodeFailsAndHasSufficientValidators()
     final PantheonNode nonProposerNode = validators.get(validators.size() - 1);
     cluster.start(validators);
 
-    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(validators.get(0), 1));
+    cluster.waitUntil(wait.chainHeadHasProgressedByAtLeast(minerNode1, 1, 85));
 
     final Account receiver = accounts.createAccount("account2");