diff --git a/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round.rs b/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round.rs
index 8d1c004c5..11d77bc78 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ impl AsMillis for Duration {
 impl AuthorityRound {
 	/// Create a new instance of AuthorityRound engine.
 	pub fn new(params: CommonParams, our_params: AuthorityRoundParams, builtins: BTreeMap<Address, Builtin>) -> Result<Arc<Self>, Error> {
+		let should_timeout = our_params.start_step.is_none();
 		let initial_step = our_params.start_step.unwrap_or_else(|| (unix_now().as_secs() / our_params.step_duration.as_secs())) as usize;
 		let engine = Arc::new(
 			AuthorityRound {
@@ -113,18 +114,17 @@ impl AuthorityRound {
 				account_provider: Mutex::new(None),
 				password: RwLock::new(None),
 			});
-		let handler = TransitionHandler { engine: Arc::downgrade(&engine) };
-		try!(engine.transition_service.register_handler(Arc::new(handler)));
+		// Do not initialize timeouts for tests.
+		if should_timeout {
+			let handler = TransitionHandler { engine: Arc::downgrade(&engine) };
+			try!(engine.transition_service.register_handler(Arc::new(handler)));
+		}
 		Ok(engine)
 	}
 
-	fn step(&self) -> usize {
-		self.step.load(AtomicOrdering::SeqCst)
-	}
-
 	fn remaining_step_duration(&self) -> Duration {
 		let now = unix_now();
-		let step_end = self.our_params.step_duration * (self.step() as u32 + 1);
+		let step_end = self.our_params.step_duration * (self.step.load(AtomicOrdering::SeqCst) as u32 + 1);
 		if step_end > now {
 			step_end - now
 		} else {
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ impl Engine for AuthorityRound {
 	fn generate_seal(&self, block: &ExecutedBlock) -> Seal {
 		if self.proposed.load(AtomicOrdering::SeqCst) { return Seal::None; }
 		let header = block.header();
-		let step = self.step();
+		let step = self.step.load(AtomicOrdering::SeqCst);
 		if self.is_step_proposer(step, header.author()) {
 			if let Some(ref ap) = *self.account_provider.lock() {
 				// Account should be permanently unlocked, otherwise sealing will fail.
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ impl Engine for AuthorityRound {
 	fn verify_block_unordered(&self, header: &Header, _block: Option<&[u8]>) -> Result<(), Error> {
 		let header_step = try!(header_step(header));
 		// Give one step slack if step is lagging, double vote is still not possible.
-		if header_step <= self.step() + 1 {
+		if header_step <= self.step.load(AtomicOrdering::SeqCst) + 1 {
 			let proposer_signature = try!(header_signature(header));
 			let ok_sig = try!(verify_address(self.step_proposer(header_step), &proposer_signature, &header.bare_hash()));
 			if ok_sig {
diff --git a/sync/src/tests/consensus.rs b/sync/src/tests/consensus.rs
index c1fa8fce7..e1f73d066 100644
--- a/sync/src/tests/consensus.rs
+++ b/sync/src/tests/consensus.rs
@@ -82,12 +82,14 @@ fn authority_round() {
 	net.sync();
 	// Trigger block proposal
 	net.peer(0).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(0).chain, new_tx(s0.secret(), 0.into())).unwrap();
+	net.peer(1).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(1).chain, new_tx(s1.secret(), 0.into())).unwrap();
 	// Sync a block
 	net.sync();
 	assert_eq!(net.peer(0).chain.chain_info().best_block_number, 1);
 	assert_eq!(net.peer(1).chain.chain_info().best_block_number, 1);
 
-	net.peer(1).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(1).chain, new_tx(s1.secret(), 0.into())).unwrap();
+	net.peer(0).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(0).chain, new_tx(s0.secret(), 1.into())).unwrap();
+	net.peer(1).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(1).chain, new_tx(s1.secret(), 1.into())).unwrap();
 	// Move to next proposer step
 	net.peer(0).chain.engine().step();
 	net.peer(1).chain.engine().step();
@@ -96,14 +98,17 @@ fn authority_round() {
 	assert_eq!(net.peer(1).chain.chain_info().best_block_number, 2);
 
 	// Fork the network
-	net.peer(0).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(0).chain, new_tx(s0.secret(), 1.into())).unwrap();
+	net.peer(0).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(0).chain, new_tx(s0.secret(), 2.into())).unwrap();
+	net.peer(1).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(1).chain, new_tx(s1.secret(), 2.into())).unwrap();
 	net.peer(0).chain.engine().step();
 	net.peer(1).chain.engine().step();
-	assert_eq!(net.peer(0).chain.chain_info().best_block_number, 3);
-	net.peer(1).chain.miner().import_own_transaction(&*net.peer(1).chain, new_tx(s1.secret(), 1.into())).unwrap();
 	net.peer(0).chain.engine().step();
 	net.peer(1).chain.engine().step();
-	assert_eq!(net.peer(1).chain.chain_info().best_block_number, 3);
+	let ci0 = net.peer(0).chain.chain_info();
+	let ci1 = net.peer(1).chain.chain_info();
+	assert_eq!(ci0.best_block_number, 3);
+	assert_eq!(ci1.best_block_number, 3);
+	assert!(ci0.best_block_hash != ci1.best_block_hash);
 	// Reorg to the correct one.
 	net.sync();
 	let ci0 = net.peer(0).chain.chain_info();