diff --git a/tests/TestHarness/Cluster.py b/tests/TestHarness/Cluster.py
index dfe7d821ad..5bf0028e6d 100644
--- a/tests/TestHarness/Cluster.py
+++ b/tests/TestHarness/Cluster.py
@@ -992,6 +992,55 @@ def parseClusterKeys(totalNodes):
         Utils.Print(f'Found {len(producerKeys)} producer keys')
         return producerKeys
 
+    def activateInstantFinality(self, launcher):
+        # publish bios contract with setfinalizer
+        contract = "eosio.bios"
+        contractDir = str(self.libTestingContractsPath / contract)
+        wasmFile = "%s.wasm" % (contract)
+        abiFile = "%s.abi" % (contract)
+        Utils.Print("Publish %s contract" % (contract))
+        # assumes eosio already in wallet
+        eosioAccount=Account("eosio")
+        trans = self.biosNode.publishContract(eosioAccount, contractDir, wasmFile, abiFile, waitForTransBlock=True)
+        if trans is None:
+            Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to publish contract %s." % (contract))
+            return None
+        Node.validateTransaction(trans)
+
+        # call setfinalizer
+        numFins = len(launcher.network.nodes.values())
+        setFinStr =  f'{{"finalizer_policy": {{'
+        setFinStr += f'  "threshold": {int(numFins * 2 / 3 + 1)}, '
+        setFinStr += f'  "finalizers": ['
+        finNum = 1
+        for n in launcher.network.nodes.values():
+            if n.keys[0].blspubkey is None:
+                continue
+            if len(n.producers) == 0:
+                continue
+            setFinStr += f'    {{"description": "finalizer #{finNum}", '
+            setFinStr += f'     "weight":1, '
+            setFinStr += f'     "public_key": "{n.keys[0].blspubkey}", '
+            setFinStr += f'     "pop": "{n.keys[0].blspop}"'
+            setFinStr += f'    }}'
+            if finNum != numFins:
+                setFinStr += f', '
+            finNum = finNum + 1
+        setFinStr +=  f'  ]'
+        setFinStr +=  f'}}}}'
+        if Utils.Debug: Utils.Print("setfinalizers: %s" % (setFinStr))
+        Utils.Print("Setting finalizers")
+        opts = "--permission eosio@active"
+        trans = self.biosNode.pushMessage("eosio", "setfinalizer", setFinStr, opts)
+        if trans is None or not trans[0]:
+            Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to set finalizers")
+            return None
+        Node.validateTransaction(trans[1])
+        transId = Node.getTransId(trans[1])
+        if not self.biosNode.waitForTransFinalization(transId, timeout=21*12*3):
+            Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to validate transaction %s got rolled into a LIB block on server port %d." % (transId, biosNode.port))
+            return None
+
     def bootstrap(self, launcher,  biosNode, totalNodes, prodCount, totalProducers, pfSetupPolicy, onlyBios=False, onlySetProds=False, loadSystemContract=True, activateIF=False):
         """Create 'prodCount' init accounts and deposits 10000000000 SYS in each. If prodCount is -1 will initialize all possible producers.
         Ensure nodes are inter-connected prior to this call. One way to validate this will be to check if every node has block 1."""
@@ -1028,6 +1077,9 @@ def bootstrap(self, launcher,  biosNode, totalNodes, prodCount, totalProducers,
             Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to import %s account keys into ignition wallet." % (eosioName))
             return None
 
+        if activateIF:
+            self.activateInstantFinality(launcher)
+
         contract="eosio.bios"
         contractDir= str(self.libTestingContractsPath / contract)
         if PFSetupPolicy.hasPreactivateFeature(pfSetupPolicy):
@@ -1154,49 +1206,6 @@ def createSystemAccount(accountName):
             Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to publish contract %s." % (contract))
             return None
 
-        # enable instant finality
-        if activateIF:
-            # publish bios contract with setfinalizer
-            contract = "eosio.bios"
-            contractDir = str(self.libTestingContractsPath / contract)
-            wasmFile = "%s.wasm" % (contract)
-            abiFile = "%s.abi" % (contract)
-            Utils.Print("Publish %s contract" % (contract))
-            trans = biosNode.publishContract(eosioAccount, contractDir, wasmFile, abiFile, waitForTransBlock=True)
-            if trans is None:
-                Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to publish contract %s." % (contract))
-                return None
-            Node.validateTransaction(trans)
-
-            # call setfinalizer
-            numFins = len(launcher.network.nodes.values())
-            setFinStr =  f'{{"finalizer_policy": {{'
-            setFinStr += f'  "threshold": {int(numFins * 2 / 3 + 1)}, '
-            setFinStr += f'  "finalizers": ['
-            finNum = 1
-            for n in launcher.network.nodes.values():
-                if n.keys[0].blspubkey is None:
-                    continue
-                if len(n.producers) == 0:
-                    continue
-                setFinStr += f'    {{"description": "finalizer #{finNum}", '
-                setFinStr += f'     "weight":1, '
-                setFinStr += f'     "public_key": "{n.keys[0].blspubkey}", '
-                setFinStr += f'     "pop": "{n.keys[0].blspop}"'
-                setFinStr += f'    }}'
-                if finNum != numFins:
-                    setFinStr += f', '
-                finNum = finNum + 1
-            setFinStr +=  f'  ]'
-            setFinStr +=  f'}}}}'
-            if Utils.Debug: Utils.Print("setfinalizers: %s" % (setFinStr))
-            Utils.Print("Setting finalizers")
-            opts = "--permission eosio@active"
-            trans = biosNode.pushMessage("eosio", "setfinalizer", setFinStr, opts)
-            if trans is None or not trans[0]:
-                Utils.Print("ERROR: Failed to set finalizers")
-                return None
-
         # Create currency0000, followed by issue currency0000
         contract=eosioTokenAccount.name
         Utils.Print("push create action to %s contract" % (contract))