diff --git a/tests/Node.py b/tests/Node.py
index 8a0e6ca58cb8e1acf78e2af6c8fa2b524e1af1b3..2338c1a62932977aa321688ae177b53bdbe98b2c 100644
--- a/tests/Node.py
+++ b/tests/Node.py
@@ -302,7 +302,8 @@ class Node(object):
         assert(transId)
         assert(isinstance(transId, str))
         trans=self.getTransaction(transId)
-        assert(trans)
+        if trans is None:
+            return None
 
         refBlockNum=None
         key=""
@@ -549,6 +550,7 @@ class Node(object):
 
     def waitForTransInBlock(self, transId, timeout=None):
         """Wait for trans id to be finalized."""
+        assert(isinstance(transId, str))
         lam = lambda: self.isTransInAnyBlock(transId)
         ret=Utils.waitForBool(lam, timeout)
         return ret
diff --git a/tests/nodeos_voting_test.py b/tests/nodeos_voting_test.py
index 009443b5b760455aba56e13233a336f4be5648c1..3453be747075e0d4e06649208a9dc4c0b7843ad8 100755
--- a/tests/nodeos_voting_test.py
+++ b/tests/nodeos_voting_test.py
@@ -69,12 +69,15 @@ def validBlockProducer(prodsActive, prodsSeen, blockNum, node):
 
 def getNextCleanProductionCycle(trans, node):
     transId=Node.getTransId(trans)
-    rounds=15*12*2  # 2/3+1 of producers x blocks per producer x at least 2 times
+    rounds=21*12*2  # max time to ensure that at least 2/3+1 of producers x blocks per producer x at least 2 times
     node.waitForTransFinalization(transId, timeout=rounds/2)
     irreversibleBlockNum=node.getIrreversibleBlockNum()
-    # The voted schedule should be promoted now, then need to wait for that to become irreversible 
-    promotedBlockNum=node.getHeadBlockNum()+240
+
+    # The voted schedule should be promoted now, then need to wait for that to become irreversible
+    votingTallyWindow=120  #could be up to 120 blocks before the votes were tallied
+    promotedBlockNum=node.getHeadBlockNum()+votingTallyWindow
     node.waitForIrreversibleBlock(promotedBlockNum, timeout=rounds/2)
+
     ibnSchedActive=node.getIrreversibleBlockNum()
 
     blockNum=node.getHeadBlockNum()