diff --git a/examples/rndcontract/rnd_contract b/examples/rndcontract/rnd_contract
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..97e39640
Binary files /dev/null and b/examples/rndcontract/rnd_contract differ
diff --git a/src/cons/cons.cpp b/src/cons/cons.cpp
index 9b909c2b..16162cde 100644
--- a/src/cons/cons.cpp
+++ b/src/cons/cons.cpp
@@ -186,8 +186,9 @@ void consensus()
         }
         if (is_lcl_desync)
         {
-            //We are resetting to stage 0 to avoid possible deadlock situations by resetting every node in random time using max time.
-            LOG_DBG << "time off: " << std::to_string(ctx.reset_time);
+            //Resetting to stage 0 to avoid possible deadlock situations by resetting every node in random time using max time.
+            //todo: This might not needed with current synchronization with network clock.
+            // LOG_DBG << "time off: " << std::to_string(ctx.reset_time);
             timewait_stage(true, ctx.reset_time);
             const uint16_t decrement = rand() % (conf::cfg.roundtime / 40);
 
@@ -219,19 +220,60 @@ void consensus()
                 apply_ledger(stg_prop);
                 ctx.reset_time = MAX_RESET_TIME;
 
-                // We have finished a consensus round (all 4 stages).
-                LOG_INFO << "****Stage 3 consensus reached**** (state:" << *reinterpret_cast<const hasher::B2H *>(cons::ctx.curr_hash_state.c_str()) << ")";
+                // node has finished a consensus round (all 4 stages).
+                LOG_INFO << "****Stage 3 consensus reached**** (lcl:" << ctx.lcl
+                         << " state:" << *reinterpret_cast<const hasher::B2H *>(cons::ctx.curr_hash_state.c_str()) << ")";
             }
         }
     }
 
-    // We have finished a consensus stage.
-
+    // Node has finished a consensus stage.
     // Transition to next stage.
     ctx.stage = (ctx.stage + 1) % 4;
 
-    // after a stage proposal we will just busy wait for proposals.
-    util::sleep(conf::cfg.roundtime / 4);
+    //Here nodes try to synchronise nodes stages using network clock.
+    uint64_t now = util::get_epoch_milliseconds();
+
+    // round start is the floor
+    uint64_t round_start = ((uint64_t)(now / conf::cfg.roundtime)) * conf::cfg.roundtime;
+
+    uint64_t next_stage_start = 0;
+
+    // Compute start time of next stage.
+    // Last stage (stage 3) waiting twice as any other stage's waiting time.
+    // This is for a node to catch up from lcl/state desync,
+    // becuase we are waiting (round time + time to next stage) to sync.
+    if (ctx.stage == 3)
+        next_stage_start = round_start + conf::cfg.roundtime;
+    else
+        next_stage_start = round_start + (int64_t)(ctx.stage * ((double)conf::cfg.roundtime / 5.0));
+
+    // Compute stage time wait.
+    // Node wait between stages to collect enough proposals from previous stages from other nodes.
+    int64_t to_wait = next_stage_start - now;
+
+    LOG_DBG << "now = " << now << ", roundtime = " << conf::cfg.roundtime << ", round_start = " << round_start << ", next_stage_start = " << next_stage_start << ", to_wait = " << to_wait;
+
+    // If a node doesn't have enough time (due to network delay) to recieve/send reliable stage proposals for next stage,
+    // it will continue particapating in this round, otherwise will join in next round(s).
+    if (to_wait < floor(conf::cfg.roundtime / 10)) //todo: self claculating/adjusting network delay
+    {
+        uint64_t next_round = round_start;
+        while (to_wait < floor(conf::cfg.roundtime / 10))
+        {
+            next_round += conf::cfg.roundtime;
+            to_wait = next_round - now;
+        }
+
+        LOG_INFO << "we missed a round, waiting " << to_wait << " and resetting to stage 0";
+        ctx.stage = 0;
+        util::sleep(to_wait);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // after a stage proposal we will just busy wait for proposals.
+        util::sleep(to_wait);
+    }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -411,7 +453,7 @@ p2p::proposal create_stage123_proposal(vote_counter &votes)
 
     // time is voted on a simple sorted (highest to lowest) and majority basis, since there will always be disagreement.
     int32_t highest_time_vote = 0;
-    for(auto itr = votes.time.rbegin(); itr != votes.time.rend(); ++itr)
+    for (auto itr = votes.time.rbegin(); itr != votes.time.rend(); ++itr)
     {
         const uint64_t time = itr->first;
         const int32_t numvotes = itr->second;
@@ -872,4 +914,4 @@ void increment(std::map<T, int32_t> &counter, const T &candidate)
         counter.try_emplace(candidate, 1);
 }
 
-} // namespace cons
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace cons
diff --git a/src/cons/state_handler.cpp b/src/cons/state_handler.cpp
index dca12bde..56442a22 100644
--- a/src/cons/state_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/cons/state_handler.cpp
@@ -12,11 +12,9 @@ namespace cons
 {
 
 // Max number of requests that can be awaiting response at any given time.
-constexpr uint16_t MAX_AWAITING_REQUESTS = 4;
+constexpr uint16_t MAX_AWAITING_REQUESTS = 1;
 // Syncing loop sleep delay.
-constexpr uint16_t SYNC_LOOP_WAIT = 50;
-// No of loop cycles to wait for a response before resubmitting request.
-constexpr uint16_t MAX_AWAITING_CYCLES = 1000 / SYNC_LOOP_WAIT;
+constexpr uint16_t SYNC_LOOP_WAIT = 100;
 
 // List of state responses flatbuffer messages to be processed.
 std::list<std::string> candidate_state_responses;
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ void request_state_from_peer(const std::string &path, const bool is_file, const
 
     p2p::peer_outbound_message msg(std::make_unique<flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder>(1024));
     fbschema::p2pmsg::create_msg_from_state_request(msg.builder(), sr, lcl);
-    p2p::send_message_to_random_peer(msg);
+    p2p::send_message_to_random_peer(msg); //todo: send to a node that hold the majority state to improve reliability of retrieving state.
 }
 
 int create_state_response(p2p::peer_outbound_message &msg, const p2p::state_request &sr)
@@ -159,7 +157,8 @@ int run_state_sync_iterator()
         // Check for long-awaited responses and re-request them.
         for (auto &[hash, request] : submitted_requests)
         {
-            if (request.waiting_cycles < MAX_AWAITING_CYCLES)
+            // We wait for half of round time before each request is resubmitted.
+            if (request.waiting_cycles < (conf::cfg.roundtime / (SYNC_LOOP_WAIT * 2)))
             {
                 // Increment counter.
                 request.waiting_cycles++;
diff --git a/test/vm-cluster/cluster.sh b/test/vm-cluster/cluster.sh
index 4ddbbdb7..02b4d1e6 100755
--- a/test/vm-cluster/cluster.sh
+++ b/test/vm-cluster/cluster.sh
@@ -7,17 +7,26 @@ mode=$1
 
 hpcore=$(realpath ../..)
 
-if [ "$mode" = "new" ] || [ "$mode" = "run" ] || [ "$mode" = "update" ]; then
+if [ "$mode" = "new" ] || [ "$mode" = "run" ] || [ "$mode" = "update" ] || [ "$mode" = "kill" ]; then
     echo ""
 else
-    echo "Invalid command. new | run | update expected."
+    echo "Invalid command. new | run | update | kill expected."
     exit 1
 fi
 
 if [ $mode = "run" ]; then
     let nodeid=$2-1
     vmip=${vmips[$nodeid]}
-    sshpass -p $vmpass ssh geveo@$vmip 'sudo ./hpcore run contract'
+    sshpass -p $vmpass ssh geveo@$vmip 'nohup sudo ./hpcore run contract'
+    sshpass -p $vmpass ssh geveo@$vmip 'tail -f nohup.out'
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ $mode = "kill" ]; then
+    let nodeid=$2-1
+    vmip=${vmips[$nodeid]}
+    sshpass -p $vmpass ssh geveo@$vmip 'sudo kill $(pidof hpcore)'
+    sshpass -p $vmpass ssh geveo@$vmip 'sudo kill $(pidof hpstatemon)'
     exit 0
 fi
 
@@ -80,7 +89,7 @@ do
     mypeers=$(joinarr peers $j)
     myunl=$(joinarr pubkeys $j)
 
-    node -p "JSON.stringify({...require('./cfg/node$n.json'),binary:'/usr/bin/node',binargs:'/home/geveo/contract.js',peers:${mypeers},unl:${myunl}}, null, 2)" > ./cfg/node$n.cfg
+    node -p "JSON.stringify({...require('./cfg/node$n.json'),binary:'/usr/bin/node',binargs:'/home/geveo/contract.js',peers:${mypeers},unl:${myunl},loggers:['console', 'file']}, null, 2)" > ./cfg/node$n.cfg
 
     # Copy local cfg file back to remote vm.
     vmip=${vmips[j]}
diff --git a/test/vm-cluster/consensus-test-continuous.sh b/test/vm-cluster/consensus-test-continuous.sh
index e0c04084..df7ea450 100644
--- a/test/vm-cluster/consensus-test-continuous.sh
+++ b/test/vm-cluster/consensus-test-continuous.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ while true; do
 
     echo 'starting ...'
     STARTTIME=`date +%s`
-    nohup ~/hpcore run ~/contract > $PIPE 2>> $PIPE 3>MARKER &
+    nohup sudo ~/hpcore run ~/contract > $PIPE 2>> $PIPE 3>MARKER &
     PID=$!
     sleep 1
 
diff --git a/test/vm-cluster/setup-vm.sh b/test/vm-cluster/setup-vm.sh
index 1f8a6663..6f2a9322 100755
--- a/test/vm-cluster/setup-vm.sh
+++ b/test/vm-cluster/setup-vm.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ if [ $mode = "new" ]; then
     sshpass -p $vmpass scp $hpcore/build/hpcore \
                             $hpcore/build/hpstatemon \
                             $hpcore/examples/echocontract/contract.js \
+                            $hpcore/examples/rndcontract/rnd_contract \
                             /usr/local/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfuse3.so.3 \
                             /usr/local/bin/fusermount3 \
                             ./consensus-test-continuous.sh \
@@ -25,5 +26,7 @@ else
     sshpass -p $vmpass scp $hpcore/build/hpcore \
                             $hpcore/build/hpstatemon \
                             $hpcore/examples/echocontract/contract.js \
+                            $hpcore/examples/rndcontract/rnd_contract \
+                            ./consensus-test-continuous.sh \
                             geveo@$vmip:~/
 fi
\ No newline at end of file