diff --git a/consensus/byzantine_test.go b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
index f049fa3ef..e5233806b 100644
--- a/consensus/byzantine_test.go
+++ b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ func init() {
 // Byzantine validator refuses to prevote.
 // Heal partition and ensure A sees the commit
 func TestByzantine(t *testing.T) {
-	resetConfigTimeouts()
 	N := 4
 	css := randConsensusNet(N)
 
diff --git a/consensus/common_test.go b/consensus/common_test.go
index 7f15ab5fb..9d33a5c80 100644
--- a/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/go-config"
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/go-db"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-logger"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-p2p"
 	bc "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/blockchain"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config/tendermint_test"
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ func randConsensusNet(nValidators int) []*ConsensusState {
 		state := sm.MakeGenesisState(db, genDoc)
 		state.Save()
 		thisConfig := tendermint_test.ResetConfig(Fmt("consensus_reactor_test_%d", i))
+		resetConfigTimeouts(thisConfig)
 		EnsureDir(thisConfig.GetString("cs_wal_dir"), 0700) // dir for wal
 		css[i] = newConsensusStateWithConfig(thisConfig, state, privVals[i], counter.NewCounterApplication(true))
 	}
@@ -279,6 +281,7 @@ func randConsensusNetWithPeers(nValidators int, nPeers int) []*ConsensusState {
 		state := sm.MakeGenesisState(db, genDoc)
 		state.Save()
 		thisConfig := tendermint_test.ResetConfig(Fmt("consensus_reactor_test_%d", i))
+		resetConfigTimeouts(thisConfig)
 		EnsureDir(thisConfig.GetString("cs_wal_dir"), 0700) // dir for wal
 		var privVal *types.PrivValidator
 		if i < nValidators {
@@ -367,3 +370,18 @@ func getSwitchIndex(switches []*p2p.Switch, peer *p2p.Peer) int {
 	panic("didnt find peer in switches")
 	return -1
 }
+
+// so we dont violate synchrony assumptions
+// TODO: make tests more robust to this instead (handle round changes)
+// XXX: especially a problem when running the race detector
+func resetConfigTimeouts(config cfg.Config) {
+	logger.SetLogLevel("info")
+	//config.Set("log_level", "notice")
+	config.Set("timeout_propose", 10000) // TODO
+	//	config.Set("timeout_propose_delta", 500)
+	//	config.Set("timeout_prevote", 1000)
+	//	config.Set("timeout_prevote_delta", 500)
+	//	config.Set("timeout_precommit", 1000)
+	//	config.Set("timeout_precommit_delta", 500)
+	config.Set("timeout_commit", 1000)
+}
diff --git a/consensus/reactor_test.go b/consensus/reactor_test.go
index 504bd97f3..de0eaa18b 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor_test.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config/tendermint_test"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-events"
-	"github.com/tendermint/go-logger"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmsp/example/dummy"
@@ -19,24 +18,11 @@ func init() {
 	config = tendermint_test.ResetConfig("consensus_reactor_test")
 }
 
-func resetConfigTimeouts() {
-	logger.SetLogLevel("info")
-	//config.Set("log_level", "notice")
-	config.Set("timeout_propose", 2000)
-	//	config.Set("timeout_propose_delta", 500)
-	//	config.Set("timeout_prevote", 1000)
-	//	config.Set("timeout_prevote_delta", 500)
-	//	config.Set("timeout_precommit", 1000)
-	//	config.Set("timeout_precommit_delta", 500)
-	config.Set("timeout_commit", 1000)
-}
-
 //----------------------------------------------
 // in-process testnets
 
 // Ensure a testnet makes blocks
 func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
-	resetConfigTimeouts()
 	N := 4
 	css := randConsensusNet(N)
 	reactors := make([]*ConsensusReactor, N)
@@ -70,7 +56,6 @@ func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
 // ensure we can make blocks despite cycling a validator set
 
 func TestValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
-	resetConfigTimeouts()
 	nPeers := 8
 	nVals := 4
 	css := randConsensusNetWithPeers(nVals, nPeers)