diff --git a/unit-tests/002_bad_packets.txt b/unit-tests/002_bad_packets.txt
index a61d050..7c69b63 100644
--- a/unit-tests/002_bad_packets.txt
+++ b/unit-tests/002_bad_packets.txt
@@ -1,68 +1,80 @@
 # vim: ft=sh et :
 #
 # This test is mostly concerned with ignoring invalid packets.
 # We're expecting catchup queries.
 
 
 ticket:
     state               ST_INIT
     last_ack_ballot     1
-    new_ballot          2012
+    new_ballot          12
 
 
 # defaults
 message:
     header.cmd          CMR_CATCHUP
     ticket.ballot       99
     ticket.prev_ballot  98
+    header.from         booth_conf->site[2].site_id
+    header.result       0
 
 
 message0:               # bad result code
-    header.from         booth_conf->site[2].site_id
     header.result       243521741
 
 outgoing0:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 
 message1:               # bad sender
     header.from         71
 
 outgoing1:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 
 
 message2:               # bad version
     header.version      512
 
 outgoing2:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 
 message3:               # bad magic
     header.version      31
 
 outgoing3:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 message4:               # bad length
     header.length       16
 
 outgoing4:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 
 message5:               # bad ticket ID
     ticket.id           "gibtsnich"
 
 outgoing5:
     state               ST_INIT
 
 
-message100:               # should work
+message6:               # bad ballot number
+    ticket.ballot       -15
+
+outgoing6:
+    state               ST_INIT
 
-outgoing100:
+
+message100:             # should work
+    ticket.ballot       199
+    ticket.prev_ballot  198
+
+# no outgoing message
+finally:                
     state               ST_STABLE
-    ticket.ballot       99
+    new_ballot          199
+    last_ack_ballot     198
 
diff --git a/unit-tests/003_pacemaker.txt b/unit-tests/003_pacemaker.txt
index 0084fe6..41abea8 100644
--- a/unit-tests/003_pacemaker.txt
+++ b/unit-tests/003_pacemaker.txt
@@ -1,23 +1,24 @@
 # vim: ft=sh et :
 #
 # Checks whether Pacemaker gets correct command lines.
 
 
 ticket:
     state               ST_STABLE
     last_ack_ballot     40
     new_ballot          50
 
 
-message0:               "set state"
+message0:              
     header.cmd          OP_COMMITTED
     header.from         booth_conf->site[2].site_id
     header.result       0
     ticket.ballot       99
-    ticket.prev_ballot  98
+# must match last_ack_ballot above
+    ticket.prev_ballot  40
     ticket.owner        booth_conf->site[2].site_id
-    getenv("UNIT_TEST_AUX")  "ballot 99 owner +" 
+    #getenv("UNIT_TEST_AUX")  "ballot 99 owner +" 
 
 
-outgoing0:
+finally:
     last_ack_ballot     99
diff --git a/unit-tests/010_retries.txt b/unit-tests/010_retries.txt
index 75c72d6..b1c7210 100644
--- a/unit-tests/010_retries.txt
+++ b/unit-tests/010_retries.txt
@@ -1,45 +1,56 @@
 # vim: ft=sh et :
 #
 # Testing whether retries are sent, and if they're stopped again.
 
 
 ticket:
     state               ST_STABLE
     last_ack_ballot     40
     new_ballot          50
     owner               local
     retries             6
     timeout             1
     # may keep ticket all the time
     expiry              3000
+    expires             time(0) + 2000
+
 
 
 outgoing0:
-    cmd                 OP_PREPARING
+    header.cmd          OP_PREPARING
 outgoing1:
-    cmd                 OP_PREPARING
+    header.cmd          OP_PREPARING
 outgoing2:
-    cmd                 OP_PREPARING
+    header.cmd          OP_PREPARING
 outgoing3:
-    cmd                 OP_PREPARING
+    header.cmd          OP_PREPARING
 
 message4:
-    cmd                 OP_PROMISING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROMISING
+    header.from         booth_conf->site[2].site_id
+    header.result       0
+    ticket.prev_ballot  45
+    ticket.ballot       booth_conf->ticket[0].new_ballot
 
 outgoing5:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
 outgoing6:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
 outgoing7:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
 outgoing8:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
 outgoing9:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
 outgoing10:
-    cmd                 OP_PROPOSING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
     
 
 # Now retry counter should trigger, and restart paxos
 outgoing11:
-    cmd                 OP_PREPARING
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
+outgoing12:
+    header.cmd          OP_PROPOSING
+
+outgoing13:
+    header.cmd          OP_PREPARING
diff --git a/unit-tests/_defaults.txt b/unit-tests/_defaults.txt
index b35bb36..80618d7 100644
--- a/unit-tests/_defaults.txt
+++ b/unit-tests/_defaults.txt
@@ -1,52 +1,52 @@
 # vim: ft=sh et :
 
 
 # ticket defaults, mostly set via config file.
 ticket:
 
     name           "ticket"
 
     ## these would matter if testing via GDB had high latencies
     #expiry         60
     #timeout        10
-    #acquire_after  30
+    acquire_after  0
 
 
 
     # defaults for all tests
     state           ST_INIT
     next_cron       0
 # time(0)+1
     # local is site[0] per convention
 
     owner           booth_conf->site+1
     expires         time(0)+1
     last_ack_ballot 242
 
     proposer        0
     proposed_owner  0
     new_ballot      0
     proposal_acknowledges   0
     retry_number    0
 
 
 
 # defaults for input message.
 # sender is a peer, and it wants something.
 message:
 
     ticket.id               "ticket"
     # invalid by default
     header.cmd              -1
     # invalid by default
     header.result           1
     # invalid by default
     header.from             -1
     header.version          BOOTHC_VERSION
     header.magic            BOOTHC_MAGIC
     header.length           sizeof(struct boothc_ticket_msg)
     ticket.owner            -1
     ticket.ballot           0
     ticket.prev_ballot      0
     ticket.expiry           0