diff --git a/tests/functional_tests/rpc_payment.py b/tests/functional_tests/rpc_payment.py
index 4c777ccd7..90c5e1211 100755
--- a/tests/functional_tests/rpc_payment.py
+++ b/tests/functional_tests/rpc_payment.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 import subprocess
 import os
+import time
 
 """Test daemon RPC payment calls
 """
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
         found_valid = 0
         found_invalid = 0
         last_credits = 0
+        loop_time = time.time()
         while found_valid == 0 or found_invalid == 0:
             nonce += 1
             try:
@@ -152,10 +154,17 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
             except Exception as e:
                 found_invalid += 1
                 res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+                cookie = res.cookie
+                loop_time = time.time()
                 assert res.credits < last_credits or res.credits == 0
             assert nonce < 1000 # can't find both valid and invalid -> the RPC probably fails
             last_credits = res.credits
 
+            if time.time() >= loop_time + 10:
+                res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+                cookie = res.cookie
+                loop_time = time.time()
+
         # we should now have 1 valid nonce, and a number of bad ones
         res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
         assert len(res.hashing_blob) > 39
@@ -176,6 +185,7 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
         assert e.nonces_dupe == 0
 
         # Try random nonces till we find one that's valid so we get a load of credits
+        loop_time = time.time()
         while last_credits == 0:
             nonce += 1
             try:
@@ -186,6 +196,10 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
             except:
                 found_invalid += 1
             assert nonce < 1000 # can't find a valid none -> the RPC probably fails
+            if time.time() >= loop_time + 10:
+                res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+                cookie = res.cookie
+                loop_time = time.time()
 
         # we should now have at least 5000
         res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
@@ -208,6 +222,7 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
         res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
         cookie = res.cookie
         old_cookie = cookie # we keep that so can submit a stale later
+        loop_time = time.time()
         while True:
             nonce += 1
             try:
@@ -218,6 +233,11 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
                 found_invalid += 1
             assert nonce < 1000 # can't find both valid and invalid -> the RPC probably fails
 
+            if time.time() >= loop_time + 10:
+                res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+                cookie = res.cookie
+                loop_time = time.time()
+
         res = daemon.rpc_access_data()
         assert len(res.entries) > 0
         e = [x for x in res.entries if x['client'] == self.public_key]
@@ -247,14 +267,17 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
 
         # find stales without updating cookie, one within 5 seconds (accepted), one later (rejected)
         res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+        cookie = res.cookie # let the daemon update its timestamp, but use old cookie
         found_close_stale = 0
         found_late_stale = 0
+        loop_time = time.time()
         while found_close_stale == 0 or found_late_stale == 0:
             nonce += 1
             try:
                 res = daemon.rpc_access_submit_nonce(nonce = nonce, cookie = cookie, client = self.get_signature())
                 found_close_stale += 1
                 found_valid += 1
+                time.sleep(15) # now we've got an early stale, wait till they become late stales
             except Exception as e:
                 #if e[0]['error']['code'] == -18: # stale
                 if "'code': -18" in str(e): # stale (ugly version, but also works with python 3)
@@ -263,6 +286,11 @@ class RPCPaymentTest():
                     found_invalid += 1
             assert nonce < 1000 # can't find both valid and invalid -> the RPC probably fails
 
+            if time.time() >= loop_time + 10:
+                res = daemon.rpc_access_info(client = self.get_signature())
+                # cookie = res.cookie # let the daemon update its timestamp, but use old cookie
+                loop_time = time.time()
+
         res = daemon.rpc_access_data()
         assert len(res.entries) > 0
         e = [x for x in res.entries if x['client'] == self.public_key]