diff --git a/src/test/consensus/SteppingExtensions_test.cpp b/src/test/consensus/SteppingExtensions_test.cpp
index a7cc55207d..559ee0b251 100644
--- a/src/test/consensus/SteppingExtensions_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/consensus/SteppingExtensions_test.cpp
@@ -5134,7 +5134,9 @@ class SteppingExtensions_test : public beast::unit_test::suite
                         << " witness only on node " << n << std::endl;
                     return false;
                 }
-            auto const ledger = net.ledger(0, net.validSeq(0));
+            // Classify against history accepted by every node, not a faster
+            // node's tip or the intent submission time. Admission can be late.
+            auto const ledger = net.ledger(0, net.minValidatedSeq());
             if (!ledger)
                 return false;
             auto const latch =
@@ -5147,6 +5149,15 @@ class SteppingExtensions_test : public beast::unit_test::suite
                     << " neither witnessed nor retained" << std::endl;
                 return false;
             }
+            if (!latch->isFieldPresent(sfLastLedgerSequence) ||
+                ledger->seq() <= latch->getFieldU32(sfLastLedgerSequence))
+            {
+                log << "  seeded-mix red " << schedule << " " << tag
+                    << " unwitnessed origin has not passed its publication "
+                       "window"
+                    << std::endl;
+                return false;
+            }
             log << "  seeded-mix " << schedule << " " << tag << "=expired"
                 << std::endl;
             return true;
diff --git a/src/test/consensus/ThreadedExtensions_test.cpp b/src/test/consensus/ThreadedExtensions_test.cpp
index 21f042389b..6a60904a21 100644
--- a/src/test/consensus/ThreadedExtensions_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/consensus/ThreadedExtensions_test.cpp
@@ -822,6 +822,10 @@ class ThreadedExtensions_test : public beast::unit_test::suite
                 << " expired shape=" << shape << std::endl;
             if (!latch)
                 return fail("latch missing");
+            if (!latch->isFieldPresent(sfLastLedgerSequence) ||
+                ledger->seq() <= latch->getFieldU32(sfLastLedgerSequence))
+                return fail(
+                    "unwitnessed origin has not passed its publication window");
             if (hasSig)
                 return fail("expired latch has a signature hash");
             if (hasNode != inDir)