diff --git a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/introduction/IntroductionIntegrationTest.java b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/introduction/IntroductionIntegrationTest.java
index 0680e3787..20da1b770 100644
--- a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/introduction/IntroductionIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/introduction/IntroductionIntegrationTest.java
@@ -1314,7 +1314,7 @@ public class IntroductionIntegrationTest
 		assertGroupCount(messageTracker1, g1.getId(), 2, 1);
 
 		// ACK last message
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// introducee1 can now remove messages
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages0From1().allDeleted());
@@ -1427,14 +1427,14 @@ public class IntroductionIntegrationTest
 		assertFalse(deleteAllMessages2From0().allDeleted());
 
 		// introducer can remove messages after getting ACK from introducee1
-		sendAcks(c1, c0, contactId0From1, 1);
+		ack1To0(1);
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0().allDeleted());
 		assertEquals(0, getMessages1From0().size());
 		// a second time nothing happens
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0().allDeleted());
 
 		// introducer can remove messages after getting ACK from introducee2
-		sendAcks(c2, c0, contactId0From2, 1);
+		ack2To0(1);
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages2From0().allDeleted());
 		assertEquals(0, getMessages2From0().size());
 		// a second time nothing happens
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ public class IntroductionIntegrationTest
 		sync0To1(1, true);
 
 		// introducer can remove messages after getting ACK from introducee1
-		sendAcks(c1, c0, contactId0From1, 1);
+		ack1To0(1);
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0().allDeleted());
 		assertEquals(0, getMessages1From0().size());
 		// a second time nothing happens
@@ -1512,7 +1512,7 @@ public class IntroductionIntegrationTest
 		sync0To1(1, true);
 
 		// introducer can remove messages after getting ACK from introducee1
-		sendAcks(c1, c0, contactId0From1, 1);
+		ack1To0(1);
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0().allDeleted());
 		assertEquals(0, getMessages1From0().size());
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0()
@@ -1520,7 +1520,7 @@ public class IntroductionIntegrationTest
 
 		// introducer can remove messages after getting ACK from introducee2
 		// if this succeeds, we still had the session object after delete above
-		sendAcks(c2, c0, contactId0From2, 1);
+		ack2To0(1);
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages2From0().allDeleted());
 		assertEquals(0, getMessages2From0().size());
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages2From0()
diff --git a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/privategroup/invitation/GroupInvitationIntegrationTest.java b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/privategroup/invitation/GroupInvitationIntegrationTest.java
index 64ff67051..ff44f2dc0 100644
--- a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/privategroup/invitation/GroupInvitationIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/privategroup/invitation/GroupInvitationIntegrationTest.java
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ public class GroupInvitationIntegrationTest
 		assertEquals(2, getMessages0From1().size());
 
 		// creator sends ACK
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// now invitee can also delete messages
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages0From1().allDeleted());
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ public class GroupInvitationIntegrationTest
 		sync1To0(1, true);
 
 		// creator sends ACK
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// asserting group counts
 		assertGroupCount(messageTracker1, g0From1.getId(), 2, 1);
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ public class GroupInvitationIntegrationTest
 		assertGroupCount(messageTracker1, g0From1.getId(), 2, 1);
 
 		// 0 sends an ACK to their last message
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// 1 can now delete all messages, as last one has been ACKed
 		assertTrue(deleteMessages0From1(toDelete).allDeleted());
diff --git a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/sharing/ForumSharingIntegrationTest.java b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/sharing/ForumSharingIntegrationTest.java
index 342a08afb..72c176284 100644
--- a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/sharing/ForumSharingIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/sharing/ForumSharingIntegrationTest.java
@@ -920,7 +920,7 @@ public class ForumSharingIntegrationTest
 		assertGroupCount(messageTracker1, g0From1, 2, 1);
 
 		// 0 sends an ACK to their last message
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// 1 can now delete all messages, as last one has been ACKed
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages0From1().allDeleted());
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ public class ForumSharingIntegrationTest
 		sync0To1(1, true);
 
 		// 1 sends an ACK to their last message
-		sendAcks(c1, c0, contactId0From1, 1);
+		ack1To0(1);
 
 		// messages can now get deleted again
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages1From0().allDeleted());
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ public class ForumSharingIntegrationTest
 		assertFalse(deleteAllMessages0From1().allDeleted());
 
 		// 0 sends an ACK to their last message
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// 1 can now delete all messages, as last one has been ACKed
 		assertTrue(deleteAllMessages0From1().allDeleted());
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ public class ForumSharingIntegrationTest
 				.hasInvitationSessionInProgress());
 
 		// 0 sends an ACK to their last message
-		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, 1);
+		ack0To1(1);
 
 		// 1 can now delete all messages, as last one has been ACKed
 		assertTrue(deleteMessages0From1(toDelete).allDeleted());
diff --git a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/test/BriarIntegrationTest.java b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/test/BriarIntegrationTest.java
index dfeefae64..e7ea44960 100644
--- a/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/test/BriarIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/briar-core/src/test/java/org/briarproject/briar/test/BriarIntegrationTest.java
@@ -284,11 +284,14 @@ public abstract class BriarIntegrationTest<C extends BriarIntegrationTestCompone
 
 		// Sync initial client versioning updates
 		sync0To1(1, true);
-		sync0To2(1, true);
 		sync1To0(1, true);
-		sync2To0(1, true);
 		sync0To1(1, true);
+		ack1To0(1);
+
 		sync0To2(1, true);
+		sync2To0(1, true);
+		sync0To2(1, true);
+		ack2To0(1);
 	}
 
 	protected void addContacts1And2() throws Exception {
@@ -307,9 +310,13 @@ public abstract class BriarIntegrationTest<C extends BriarIntegrationTestCompone
 		// Sync initial client versioning updates
 		sync1To2(1, true);
 		sync2To1(1, true);
-		sync1To2(haveTransportProperties ? 2 : 1, true);
 		if (haveTransportProperties) {
+			sync1To2(2, true);
 			sync2To1(1, true);
+			ack1To2(1);
+		} else {
+			sync1To2(1, true);
+			ack2To1(1);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -362,6 +369,32 @@ public abstract class BriarIntegrationTest<C extends BriarIntegrationTestCompone
 		syncMessage(c1, c2, contactId2From1, num, valid);
 	}
 
+	protected void ack0To1(int num) throws Exception {
+		sendAcks(c0, c1, contactId1From0, num);
+	}
+
+	protected void ack0To2(int num) throws Exception {
+		sendAcks(c0, c2, contactId2From0, num);
+	}
+
+	protected void ack1To0(int num) throws Exception {
+		sendAcks(c1, c0, contactId0From1, num);
+	}
+
+	protected void ack2To0(int num) throws Exception {
+		sendAcks(c2, c0, contactId0From2, num);
+	}
+
+	protected void ack2To1(int num) throws Exception {
+		assertNotNull(contactId1From2);
+		sendAcks(c2, c1, contactId1From2, num);
+	}
+
+	protected void ack1To2(int num) throws Exception {
+		assertNotNull(contactId2From1);
+		sendAcks(c1, c2, contactId2From1, num);
+	}
+
 	protected void syncMessage(BriarIntegrationTestComponent fromComponent,
 			BriarIntegrationTestComponent toComponent, ContactId toId, int num,
 			boolean valid) throws Exception {