diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/access_control.c b/src/security/core/tests/access_control.c
index 6fbdb52..f0cb87e 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/access_control.c
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/access_control.c
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ CU_Theory(
     dds_entity_t pub, sub;
     dds_entity_t topic0, topic1;
     rd_wr_init (g_participant[0], &pub, &topic0, &wr, g_participant[1], &sub, &topic1, &rd, topic_name);
-    sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant[0], wr, 1, DDS_SECS(2));
+    sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant[0], wr, 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(2));
     write_read_for (wr, g_participant[1], rd, DDS_MSECS (write_read_dur), false, exp_read_fail);
   }
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ CU_Theory(
 
 #define N_WR 3
 #define N_NODES (1 + N_WR)
-#define PERM_EXP_BASE 2
+#define PERM_EXP_BASE 3
 #define PERM_EXP_INCR 2
 /* Tests permissions configuration expiry using multiple writers, to validate
    that a reader keeps receiving data from writers that have valid permissions config */
@@ -329,11 +329,14 @@ CU_Test(ddssec_access_control, permissions_expiry_multiple, .timeout=20)
     wr[i] = dds_create_writer (pub, pub_tp, wrqos, NULL);
     CU_ASSERT_FATAL (wr[i] > 0);
     dds_set_status_mask (wr[i], DDS_PUBLICATION_MATCHED_STATUS);
-    sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[i + 1], wr[i], 1, DDS_SECS(2));
   }
   dds_delete_qos (wrqos);
 
-  sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[0], rd, N_WR, DDS_SECS (2));
+  // match deadline follows from expiration times
+  const dds_time_t sync_abstimeout = t_perm + DDS_SECS (PERM_EXP_BASE + 1);
+  for (int i = 0; i < N_WR; i++)
+    sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[i + 1], wr[i], 1, sync_abstimeout);
+  sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[0], rd, N_WR, sync_abstimeout);
 
   // write data
   SecurityCoreTests_Type1 sample = { 1, 1 };
@@ -450,6 +453,8 @@ CU_Theory(
 
     if (!exp_pp_fail)
     {
+      const dds_time_t sync_abstimeout = dds_time () + DDS_SECS (2);
+
       dds_entity_t lwr = 0, rwr = 0, lrd = 0, rrd = 0;
       dds_entity_t ltopic[2], rtopic[2];
       dds_entity_t lpub, lsub, rpub, rsub;
@@ -461,8 +466,6 @@ CU_Theory(
         g_participant[0], &lpub, &ltopic[0], &lwr,
         g_participant[1], &rsub, &rtopic[0], &rrd,
         topic_name, exp_local_topic_fail, exp_wr_fail, exp_remote_topic_fail, false);
-      if (!exp_local_topic_fail && !exp_remote_topic_fail && !exp_wr_fail)
-        sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], lwr, exp_wr_rd_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, DDS_SECS(2));
 
       // Local reader, remote writer
       create_topic_name (AC_WRAPPER_TOPIC_PREFIX, g_topic_nr++, topic_name, sizeof (topic_name));
@@ -470,8 +473,11 @@ CU_Theory(
         g_participant[1], &rpub, &rtopic[1], &rwr,
         g_participant[0], &lsub, &ltopic[1], &lrd,
         topic_name, exp_remote_topic_fail, false, exp_local_topic_fail, exp_rd_fail);
+
+      if (!exp_local_topic_fail && !exp_remote_topic_fail && !exp_wr_fail)
+        sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], lwr, exp_wr_rd_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, sync_abstimeout);
       if (!exp_local_topic_fail && !exp_remote_topic_fail && !exp_rd_fail)
-        sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[0], lrd, exp_rd_wr_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, DDS_SECS(1));
+        sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[0], lrd, exp_rd_wr_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, sync_abstimeout);
     }
 
     access_control_fini (2, (void * []) { gov_topic_rule, gov_config }, 2);
@@ -607,7 +613,7 @@ static void test_discovery_liveliness_protection(enum test_discovery_liveliness
 
   dds_entity_t pub, sub, pub_tp, sub_tp, wr, rd;
   rd_wr_init (g_participant[0], &pub, &pub_tp, &wr, g_participant[1], &sub, &sub_tp, &rd, topic_name);
-  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_rd_wr_match_fail ? 0 : 1, DDS_SECS(2));
+  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_rd_wr_match_fail ? 0 : 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(2));
   if (!exp_rd_wr_match_fail)
     write_read_for (wr, g_participant[1], rd, DDS_MSECS (100), false, false);
 
@@ -697,7 +703,7 @@ static void test_encoding_mismatch(
   {
     dds_entity_t pub, sub, pub_tp, sub_tp, wr, rd;
     rd_wr_init (g_participant[0], &pub, &pub_tp, &wr, g_participant[1], &sub, &sub_tp, &rd, topic_name);
-    sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_rd_wr_fail ? 0 : 1, DDS_SECS(1));
+    sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_rd_wr_fail ? 0 : 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(1));
   }
 
   access_control_fini (2, (void * []) { gov_config1, gov_config2, gov_topic_rule1, gov_topic_rule2, grants[0], grants[1], perm_config, ca, id1_subj, id2_subj, id1, id2 }, 12);
@@ -791,7 +797,7 @@ static void test_readwrite_protection (
     validate_handshake_nofail (DDS_DOMAINID, DDS_SECS(2));
     rd_wr_init_fail (g_participant[0], &pub, &pub_tp, &wr, g_participant[1], &sub, &sub_tp, &rd, topic_name, exp_pub_tp_fail, exp_wr_fail, exp_sub_tp_fail, exp_rd_fail);
     if (!exp_pub_tp_fail && !exp_wr_fail && !exp_sub_tp_fail && !exp_rd_fail)
-      sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, DDS_SECS(1));
+      sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, exp_sync_fail ? 0 : 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(1));
   }
 
   access_control_fini (2, (void * []) { gov_config, gov_topic_rule, rules_xml, grants[0], grants[1], perm_config, ca, id1_subj, id2_subj, id1, id2 }, 11);
@@ -863,8 +869,10 @@ CU_Test(ddssec_access_control, denied_topic)
 
   dds_entity_t pub, sub, pub_tp, sub_tp, wr, rd;
   rd_wr_init (g_participant[0], &pub, &pub_tp, &wr, g_participant[1], &sub, &sub_tp, &rd, topic_name);
-  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, 1, DDS_SECS (1));
-  sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[1], rd, 1, DDS_SECS (1));
+
+  const dds_time_t sync_abstimeout = dds_time () + DDS_SECS (2);
+  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant[0], wr, 1, sync_abstimeout);
+  sync_reader_to_writers (g_participant[1], rd, 1, sync_abstimeout);
 
   /* Create a topic that is denied in the subscriber pp security config */
   dds_entity_t denied_pub_tp = dds_create_topic (g_participant[0], &SecurityCoreTests_Type1_desc, denied_topic_name, NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/authentication.c b/src/security/core/tests/authentication.c
index a09ad7d..e3dcb70 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/authentication.c
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/authentication.c
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ CU_Theory(
   if (write_read_dur > 0)
   {
     rd_wr_init (g_participant1, &g_pub, &g_pub_tp, &g_wr, g_participant2, &g_sub, &g_sub_tp, &g_rd, topic_name);
-    sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, g_wr, 1, DDS_SECS(2));
+    sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, g_wr, 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(2));
     write_read_for (g_wr, g_participant2, g_rd, DDS_MSECS (write_read_dur), false, exp_read_fail);
   }
   authentication_fini (!id1_local_fail, !id2_local_fail, (void * []){ grants[0], grants[1], perm_config, ca, id1_subj, id2_subj, id1, id2 }, 8);
@@ -340,13 +340,13 @@ CU_Test(ddssec_authentication, unauthenticated_pp)
   print_test_msg ("writing sample for plain topic\n");
   dds_entity_t pub, sub, pub_tp, sub_tp, wr, rd;
   rd_wr_init (g_participant1, &pub, &pub_tp, &wr, g_participant2, &sub, &sub_tp, &rd, topic_name_plain);
-  sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, wr, 1, DDS_SECS(5));
+  sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, wr, 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(5));
   write_read_for (wr, g_participant2, rd, DDS_MSECS (10), false, false);
 
   print_test_msg ("writing sample for secured topic\n");
   dds_entity_t spub, ssub, spub_tp, ssub_tp, swr, srd;
   rd_wr_init (g_participant1, &spub, &spub_tp, &swr, g_participant2, &ssub, &ssub_tp, &srd, topic_name_secure);
-  sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, swr, 0, DDS_SECS(2));
+  sync_writer_to_readers(g_participant1, swr, 0, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(2));
   write_read_for (swr, g_participant2, srd, DDS_MSECS (10), false, true);
 
   authentication_fini (true, true, (void * []) { gov_config, gov_topic_rules, topic_rule_sec, topic_rule_plain, grants[0], perm_config, ca, id1_subj, id1 }, 9);
diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.c b/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.c
index 019846e..5d4839f 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.c
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.c
@@ -389,9 +389,8 @@ void handshake_list_fini (struct Handshake *hs_list, int nhs)
   }
 }
 
-void sync_writer_to_readers (dds_entity_t pp_wr, dds_entity_t wr, uint32_t exp_count, dds_duration_t timeout)
+void sync_writer_to_readers (dds_entity_t pp_wr, dds_entity_t wr, uint32_t exp_count, dds_time_t abstimeout)
 {
-  dds_time_t abstimeout = dds_time() + timeout;
   dds_attach_t triggered;
   dds_entity_t ws = dds_create_waitset (pp_wr);
   CU_ASSERT_FATAL (ws > 0);
@@ -414,9 +413,8 @@ void sync_writer_to_readers (dds_entity_t pp_wr, dds_entity_t wr, uint32_t exp_c
   CU_ASSERT_EQUAL_FATAL (pub_matched.total_count, exp_count);
 }
 
-void sync_reader_to_writers (dds_entity_t pp_rd, dds_entity_t rd, uint32_t exp_count, dds_duration_t timeout)
+void sync_reader_to_writers (dds_entity_t pp_rd, dds_entity_t rd, uint32_t exp_count, dds_time_t abstimeout)
 {
-  dds_time_t abstimeout = dds_time() + timeout;
   dds_attach_t triggered;
   dds_entity_t ws = dds_create_waitset (pp_rd);
   CU_ASSERT_FATAL (ws > 0);
diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.h b/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.h
index b2dfff5..99cc337 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.h
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/common/test_utils.h
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ void validate_handshake_nofail (dds_domainid_t domain_id, dds_duration_t timeout
 void validate_handshake_result (struct Handshake *hs, bool exp_fail_hs_req, const char * fail_hs_req_msg, bool exp_fail_hs_reply, const char * fail_hs_reply_msg);
 void handshake_list_fini (struct Handshake *hs_list, int nhs);
 char *create_topic_name (const char *prefix, uint32_t nr, char *name, size_t size);
-void sync_writer_to_readers (dds_entity_t pp_wr, dds_entity_t wr, uint32_t exp_count, dds_duration_t timeout);
-void sync_reader_to_writers (dds_entity_t pp_rd, dds_entity_t rd, uint32_t exp_count, dds_duration_t timeout);
+void sync_writer_to_readers (dds_entity_t pp_wr, dds_entity_t wr, uint32_t exp_count, dds_time_t abstimeout);
+void sync_reader_to_writers (dds_entity_t pp_rd, dds_entity_t rd, uint32_t exp_count, dds_time_t abstimeout);
 bool reader_wait_for_data (dds_entity_t pp, dds_entity_t rd, dds_duration_t dur);
 dds_qos_t * get_default_test_qos (void);
 void rd_wr_init (
diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/crypto.c b/src/security/core/tests/crypto.c
index 68ae5fd..7590740 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/crypto.c
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/crypto.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ CU_Theory((const char * test_descr, DDS_Security_BasicProtectionKind payload_pk,
   set_force_plain_data (crypto_impl, wr_handle, rtps_pk != PK_N, submsg_pk != PK_N, payload_pk != BPK_N);
 
   /* sync and write/take sample */
-  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant1, wr, 1, DDS_SECS (2));
+  sync_writer_to_readers (g_participant1, wr, 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS (2));
   write_read_for (wr, g_participant2, rd, DDS_MSECS (10), false, true);
 
   /* reset forced plain data */
diff --git a/src/security/core/tests/secure_communication.c b/src/security/core/tests/secure_communication.c
index 2d1720d..8e58aba 100644
--- a/src/security/core/tests/secure_communication.c
+++ b/src/security/core/tests/secure_communication.c
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ static void test_write_read(struct domain_sec_config *domain_config,
   create_eps (&writers, &writer_topics, n_pub_domains, n_pub_participants, n_writers, name, &SecurityCoreTests_Type1_desc, g_pub_participants, qos, &dds_create_writer, DDS_PUBLICATION_MATCHED_STATUS);
   create_eps (&readers, &reader_topics, n_sub_domains, n_sub_participants, n_readers, name, &SecurityCoreTests_Type1_desc, g_sub_participants, qos, &dds_create_reader, DDS_DATA_AVAILABLE_STATUS);
 
+  const dds_time_t sync_abstimeout = dds_time() + DDS_SECS(5);
   for (size_t d = 0; d < n_pub_domains; d++)
   {
     for (size_t p = 0; p < n_pub_participants; p++)
@@ -254,7 +255,7 @@ static void test_write_read(struct domain_sec_config *domain_config,
       for (size_t w = 0; w < n_writers; w++)
       {
         size_t wr_index = pp_index * n_writers + w;
-        sync_writer_to_readers (g_pub_participants[pp_index], writers[wr_index], (uint32_t)(n_sub_domains * n_sub_participants * n_readers), DDS_SECS(5));
+        sync_writer_to_readers (g_pub_participants[pp_index], writers[wr_index], (uint32_t)(n_sub_domains * n_sub_participants * n_readers), sync_abstimeout);
         sample.id = (int32_t) wr_index;
         printf("writer %"PRId32" writing sample %d\n", writers[wr_index], sample.id);
         ret = dds_write (writers[wr_index], &sample);
@@ -365,7 +366,7 @@ static void test_payload_secret(DDS_Security_ProtectionKind rtps_pk, DDS_Securit
   create_eps (&writers, &writer_topics, 1, 1, 1, name, &SecurityCoreTests_Type2_desc, g_pub_participants, qos, &dds_create_writer, DDS_PUBLICATION_MATCHED_STATUS);
   create_eps (&readers, &reader_topics, 1, 1, 1, name, &SecurityCoreTests_Type2_desc, g_sub_participants, qos, &dds_create_reader, DDS_DATA_AVAILABLE_STATUS);
   dds_delete_qos (qos);
-  sync_writer_to_readers (g_pub_participants[0], writers[0], 1, DDS_SECS(2));
+  sync_writer_to_readers (g_pub_participants[0], writers[0], 1, dds_time() + DDS_SECS(2));
   ret = dds_write (writers[0], &sample);
   CU_ASSERT_EQUAL_FATAL (ret, DDS_RETCODE_OK);