diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueMiningAcceptanceTest.java b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueMiningAcceptanceTest.java
index f2bae445806..fd8566e3826 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueMiningAcceptanceTest.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueMiningAcceptanceTest.java
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ private void startClusterAndVerifyProducingBlocks(
       final BesuNode minerNode1, final BesuNode minerNode2, final BesuNode minerNode3) {
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    // verify nodes are fully connected otherwise blocks could not be propagated
+    minerNode1.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+    minerNode2.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+    minerNode3.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+
     // verify that we have started producing blocks
     waitForBlockHeight(minerNode1, 1);
     final var minerChainHead = minerNode1.execute(ethTransactions.block());
diff --git a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueProposeRpcAcceptanceTest.java b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueProposeRpcAcceptanceTest.java
index 1674c551a4b..405f56fd93b 100644
--- a/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueProposeRpcAcceptanceTest.java
+++ b/acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/clique/CliqueProposeRpcAcceptanceTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ public void shouldAddValidators() throws IOException {
     final BesuNode minerNode3 = besu.createCliqueNodeWithValidators("miner3", initialValidators);
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
+
     cluster.verify(clique.validatorsEqual(minerNode1, minerNode2));
     minerNode1.execute(cliqueTransactions.createAddProposal(minerNode3));
     minerNode2.execute(cliqueTransactions.createAddProposal(minerNode3));
@@ -47,6 +49,8 @@ public void shouldRemoveValidators() throws IOException {
     final BesuNode minerNode3 = besu.createCliqueNodeWithValidators("miner3", initialValidators);
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
+
     cluster.verify(clique.validatorsEqual(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3));
     final Condition cliqueValidatorsChanged = clique.awaitSignerSetChange(minerNode1);
     minerNode1.execute(cliqueTransactions.createRemoveProposal(minerNode3));
@@ -63,6 +67,8 @@ public void shouldNotAddValidatorWhenInsufficientVotes() throws IOException {
     final BesuNode minerNode3 = besu.createCliqueNodeWithValidators("miner3", initialValidators);
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
+
     cluster.verify(clique.validatorsEqual(minerNode1, minerNode2));
     minerNode1.execute(cliqueTransactions.createAddProposal(minerNode3));
     minerNode1.verify(blockchain.reachesHeight(minerNode1, 1));
@@ -76,6 +82,8 @@ public void shouldNotRemoveValidatorWhenInsufficientVotes() throws IOException {
     final BesuNode minerNode3 = besu.createCliqueNode("miner3");
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
+
     cluster.verify(clique.validatorsEqual(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3));
     minerNode1.execute(cliqueTransactions.createRemoveProposal(minerNode3));
     minerNode1.verify(blockchain.reachesHeight(minerNode1, 1));
@@ -90,6 +98,8 @@ public void shouldIncludeVoteInBlockHeader() throws IOException {
     final BesuNode minerNode3 = besu.createCliqueNodeWithValidators("miner3", initialValidators);
     cluster.start(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
 
+    waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(minerNode1, minerNode2, minerNode3);
+
     minerNode1.execute(cliqueTransactions.createAddProposal(minerNode3));
     minerNode1.verify(blockchain.reachesHeight(minerNode1, 1));
     minerNode1.verify(blockchain.beneficiaryEquals(minerNode3));
@@ -100,4 +110,18 @@ public void shouldIncludeVoteInBlockHeader() throws IOException {
     minerNode1.verify(blockchain.beneficiaryEquals(minerNode2));
     minerNode1.verify(clique.nonceVoteEquals(CLIQUE_NONCE_VOTE.DROP));
   }
+
+  private void waitForNodesConnectedAndInSync(
+      final BesuNode minerNode1, final BesuNode minerNode2, final BesuNode minerNode3) {
+    // verify nodes are fully connected otherwise blocks could not be propagated
+    minerNode1.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+    minerNode2.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+    minerNode3.verify(net.awaitPeerCount(2));
+
+    // verify that the miner started producing blocks and all other nodes are syncing from it
+    waitForBlockHeight(minerNode1, 1);
+    final var minerChainHead = minerNode1.execute(ethTransactions.block());
+    minerNode2.verify(blockchain.minimumHeight(minerChainHead.getNumber().longValue()));
+    minerNode3.verify(blockchain.minimumHeight(minerChainHead.getNumber().longValue()));
+  }
 }