diff --git a/consensus/mempool_test.go b/consensus/mempool_test.go
index 3a430ef26..b2fe3d082 100644
--- a/consensus/mempool_test.go
+++ b/consensus/mempool_test.go
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@ func TestRmBadTx(t *testing.T) {
 	app.DeliverTx(txBytes)
 	app.Commit()
 
-	ch := make(chan struct{})
-	cbCh := make(chan struct{})
+	emptyMempoolCh := make(chan struct{})
+	checkTxRespCh := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		// Try to send the tx through the mempool.
 		// CheckTx should not err, but the app should return a bad abci code
@@ -134,28 +134,24 @@ func TestRmBadTx(t *testing.T) {
 			if r.GetCheckTx().Code != abci.CodeType_BadNonce {
 				t.Fatalf("expected checktx to return bad nonce, got %v", r)
 			}
-			cbCh <- struct{}{}
+			checkTxRespCh <- struct{}{}
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal("Error after CheckTx: %v", err)
 		}
 
 		// check for the tx
-		for {
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			txs := cs.mempool.Reap(1)
-			if len(txs) == 0 {
-				ch <- struct{}{}
-				return
-			}
-
+		txs := cs.mempool.Reap(1)
+		if len(txs) == 0 {
+			emptyMempoolCh <- struct{}{}
+			return
 		}
 	}()
 
 	// Wait until the tx returns
 	ticker := time.After(time.Second * 5)
 	select {
-	case <-cbCh:
+	case <-checkTxRespCh:
 		// success
 	case <-ticker:
 		t.Fatalf("Timed out waiting for tx to return")
@@ -164,7 +160,7 @@ func TestRmBadTx(t *testing.T) {
 	// Wait until the tx is removed
 	ticker = time.After(time.Second * 5)
 	select {
-	case <-ch:
+	case <-emptyMempoolCh:
 		// success
 	case <-ticker:
 		t.Fatalf("Timed out waiting for tx to be removed")
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index 641e606c3..f19d91639 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -20,19 +20,23 @@ func TestNodeStartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	n.Start()
 	t.Logf("Started node %v", n.sw.NodeInfo())
 
-	// Wait a bit to initialize
-	// TODO remove time.Sleep(), make asynchronous.
-	time.Sleep(time.Second * 2)
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	select {
+	case <-ticker.C:
+		if n.IsRunning() {
+			return
+		}
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for start")
+	}
 
-	ch := make(chan struct{}, 1)
 	go func() {
 		n.Stop()
-		ch <- struct{}{}
 	}()
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 5)
+
 	select {
-	case <-ch:
-	case <-ticker.C:
+	case <-n.Quit:
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
 		t.Fatal("timed out waiting for shutdown")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/p2p/pex_reactor_test.go b/p2p/pex_reactor_test.go
index b2c15ed89..dc0792658 100644
--- a/p2p/pex_reactor_test.go
+++ b/p2p/pex_reactor_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package p2p
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
@@ -98,15 +99,7 @@ func TestPEXReactorRunning(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Nil(err)
 	}
 
-	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
-
-	// check peers are connected after some time
-	for _, s := range switches {
-		outbound, inbound, _ := s.NumPeers()
-		if outbound+inbound == 0 {
-			t.Errorf("%v expected to be connected to at least one peer", s.NodeInfo().ListenAddr)
-		}
-	}
+	assertSomePeersWithTimeout(t, switches, 10*time.Millisecond, 10*time.Second)
 
 	// stop them
 	for _, s := range switches {
@@ -114,6 +107,31 @@ func TestPEXReactorRunning(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func assertSomePeersWithTimeout(t *testing.T, switches []*Switch, checkPeriod, timeout time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(checkPeriod)
+	select {
+	case <-ticker.C:
+		// check peers are connected
+		allGood := true
+		for _, s := range switches {
+			outbound, inbound, _ := s.NumPeers()
+			if outbound+inbound == 0 {
+				allGood = false
+			}
+		}
+		if allGood {
+			return
+		}
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		numPeersStr := ""
+		for i, s := range switches {
+			outbound, inbound, _ := s.NumPeers()
+			numPeersStr += fmt.Sprintf("%d => {outbound: %d, inbound: %d}, ", i, outbound, inbound)
+		}
+		t.Errorf("expected all switches to be connected to at least one peer (switches: %s)", numPeersStr)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPEXReactorReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	assert, require := assert.New(t), require.New(t)
 
diff --git a/p2p/switch_test.go b/p2p/switch_test.go
index 115811b04..93108b92a 100644
--- a/p2p/switch_test.go
+++ b/p2p/switch_test.go
@@ -131,41 +131,31 @@ func TestSwitches(t *testing.T) {
 	s1.Broadcast(byte(0x01), ch1Msg)
 	s1.Broadcast(byte(0x02), ch2Msg)
 
-	// Wait for things to settle...
-	time.Sleep(5000 * time.Millisecond)
-
-	// Check message on ch0
-	ch0Msgs := s2.Reactor("foo").(*TestReactor).getMsgs(byte(0x00))
-	if len(ch0Msgs) != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected to have received 1 message in ch0")
-	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(ch0Msgs[0].Bytes, wire.BinaryBytes(ch0Msg)) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected message bytes. Wanted: %X, Got: %X", wire.BinaryBytes(ch0Msg), ch0Msgs[0].Bytes)
-	}
-
-	// Check message on ch1
-	ch1Msgs := s2.Reactor("foo").(*TestReactor).getMsgs(byte(0x01))
-	if len(ch1Msgs) != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected to have received 1 message in ch1")
-	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(ch1Msgs[0].Bytes, wire.BinaryBytes(ch1Msg)) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected message bytes. Wanted: %X, Got: %X", wire.BinaryBytes(ch1Msg), ch1Msgs[0].Bytes)
-	}
+	assertMsgReceivedWithTimeout(t, ch0Msg, byte(0x00), s2.Reactor("foo").(*TestReactor), 10*time.Millisecond, 5*time.Second)
+	assertMsgReceivedWithTimeout(t, ch1Msg, byte(0x01), s2.Reactor("foo").(*TestReactor), 10*time.Millisecond, 5*time.Second)
+	assertMsgReceivedWithTimeout(t, ch2Msg, byte(0x02), s2.Reactor("bar").(*TestReactor), 10*time.Millisecond, 5*time.Second)
+}
 
-	// Check message on ch2
-	ch2Msgs := s2.Reactor("bar").(*TestReactor).getMsgs(byte(0x02))
-	if len(ch2Msgs) != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected to have received 1 message in ch2")
-	}
-	if !bytes.Equal(ch2Msgs[0].Bytes, wire.BinaryBytes(ch2Msg)) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected message bytes. Wanted: %X, Got: %X", wire.BinaryBytes(ch2Msg), ch2Msgs[0].Bytes)
+func assertMsgReceivedWithTimeout(t *testing.T, msg string, channel byte, reactor *TestReactor, checkPeriod, timeout time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(checkPeriod)
+	select {
+	case <-ticker.C:
+		msgs := reactor.getMsgs(channel)
+		if len(msgs) > 0 {
+			if !bytes.Equal(msgs[0].Bytes, wire.BinaryBytes(msg)) {
+				t.Fatalf("Unexpected message bytes. Wanted: %X, Got: %X", wire.BinaryBytes(msg), msgs[0].Bytes)
+			}
+		}
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to have received 1 message in channel #%v, got zero", channel)
 	}
-
 }
 
 func TestConnAddrFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	s1 := makeSwitch(config, 1, "testing", "123.123.123", initSwitchFunc)
 	s2 := makeSwitch(config, 1, "testing", "123.123.123", initSwitchFunc)
+	defer s1.Stop()
+	defer s2.Stop()
 
 	c1, c2 := net.Pipe()
 
@@ -184,22 +174,27 @@ func TestConnAddrFilter(t *testing.T) {
 		s2.addPeerWithConnection(c2)
 	}()
 
-	// Wait for things to happen, peers to get added...
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond * time.Duration(4))
+	assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t, s1, 100*time.Millisecond, 400*time.Millisecond)
+	assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t, s2, 100*time.Millisecond, 400*time.Millisecond)
+}
 
-	defer s1.Stop()
-	defer s2.Stop()
-	if s1.Peers().Size() != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected s1 not to connect to peers, got %d", s1.Peers().Size())
-	}
-	if s2.Peers().Size() != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected s2 not to connect to peers, got %d", s2.Peers().Size())
+func assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t *testing.T, sw *Switch, checkPeriod, timeout time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(checkPeriod)
+	select {
+	case <-ticker.C:
+		if sw.Peers().Size() != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected %v to not connect to some peers, got %d", sw, sw.Peers().Size())
+		}
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		return
 	}
 }
 
 func TestConnPubKeyFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	s1 := makeSwitch(config, 1, "testing", "123.123.123", initSwitchFunc)
 	s2 := makeSwitch(config, 1, "testing", "123.123.123", initSwitchFunc)
+	defer s1.Stop()
+	defer s2.Stop()
 
 	c1, c2 := net.Pipe()
 
@@ -219,17 +214,8 @@ func TestConnPubKeyFilter(t *testing.T) {
 		s2.addPeerWithConnection(c2)
 	}()
 
-	// Wait for things to happen, peers to get added...
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond * time.Duration(4))
-
-	defer s1.Stop()
-	defer s2.Stop()
-	if s1.Peers().Size() != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected s1 not to connect to peers, got %d", s1.Peers().Size())
-	}
-	if s2.Peers().Size() != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected s2 not to connect to peers, got %d", s2.Peers().Size())
-	}
+	assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t, s1, 100*time.Millisecond, 400*time.Millisecond)
+	assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t, s2, 100*time.Millisecond, 400*time.Millisecond)
 }
 
 func TestSwitchStopsNonPersistentPeerOnError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -252,9 +238,7 @@ func TestSwitchStopsNonPersistentPeerOnError(t *testing.T) {
 	// simulate failure by closing connection
 	peer.CloseConn()
 
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
-
-	assert.Zero(sw.Peers().Size())
+	assertNoPeersWithTimeout(t, sw, 100*time.Millisecond, 100*time.Millisecond)
 	assert.False(peer.IsRunning())
 }
 
@@ -305,7 +289,7 @@ func BenchmarkSwitches(b *testing.B) {
 	defer s2.Stop()
 
 	// Allow time for goroutines to boot up
-	time.Sleep(1000 * time.Millisecond)
+	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 	b.StartTimer()
 
 	numSuccess, numFailure := 0, 0
@@ -327,5 +311,4 @@ func BenchmarkSwitches(b *testing.B) {
 
 	// Allow everything to flush before stopping switches & closing connections.
 	b.StopTimer()
-	time.Sleep(1000 * time.Millisecond)
 }