diff --git a/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/RoundTimerTest.java b/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/RoundTimerTest.java
index f8a061471db..0ebca51c9e2 100644
--- a/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/RoundTimerTest.java
+++ b/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/RoundTimerTest.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public class RoundTimerTest {
   public void initialise() {
     bftExecutors = mock(BftExecutors.class);
     queue = new BftEventQueue(1000);
+    queue.start();
     timer = new RoundTimer(queue, 1, bftExecutors);
   }
 
diff --git a/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/blockcreation/BftMiningCoordinatorTest.java b/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/blockcreation/BftMiningCoordinatorTest.java
index f2618c1abd1..cb0dffba9b1 100644
--- a/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/blockcreation/BftMiningCoordinatorTest.java
+++ b/consensus/common/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/consensus/common/bft/blockcreation/BftMiningCoordinatorTest.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ public class BftMiningCoordinatorTest {
 
   @BeforeEach
   public void setup() {
+    eventQueue.start();
     bftMiningCoordinator =
         new BftMiningCoordinator(
             bftExecutors, controller, bftProcessor, bftBlockCreatorFactory, blockChain, eventQueue);