diff --git a/core/src/rpc_subscriptions.rs b/core/src/rpc_subscriptions.rs
index cc3344429..1051173fc 100644
--- a/core/src/rpc_subscriptions.rs
+++ b/core/src/rpc_subscriptions.rs
@@ -534,33 +534,37 @@ impl RpcSubscriptions {
 pub(crate) mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use crate::genesis_utils::{create_genesis_config, GenesisConfigInfo};
-    use jsonrpc_core::futures;
+    use jsonrpc_core::futures::{self, stream::Stream};
     use jsonrpc_pubsub::typed::Subscriber;
     use solana_budget_program;
     use solana_sdk::{
         signature::{Keypair, Signer},
         system_transaction,
     };
-    use tokio::prelude::{Async, Stream};
+    use std::{fmt::Debug, sync::mpsc::channel, time::Instant};
+    use tokio::{prelude::FutureExt, runtime::Runtime, timer::Delay};
 
-    pub(crate) fn robust_poll<T>(
-        mut receiver: futures::sync::mpsc::Receiver<T>,
-    ) -> Result<T, RecvTimeoutError> {
-        const INITIAL_DELAY_MS: u64 = RECEIVE_DELAY_MILLIS * 2;
+    pub(crate) fn robust_poll_or_panic<T: Debug + Send + 'static>(
+        receiver: futures::sync::mpsc::Receiver<T>,
+    ) -> T {
+        let (inner_sender, inner_receiver) = channel();
+        let mut rt = Runtime::new().unwrap();
+        rt.spawn(futures::lazy(|| {
+            let recv_timeout = receiver
+                .into_future()
+                .timeout(Duration::from_millis(RECEIVE_DELAY_MILLIS))
+                .map(move |result| match result {
+                    (Some(value), _) => inner_sender.send(value).expect("send error"),
+                    (None, _) => panic!("unexpected end of stream"),
+                })
+                .map_err(|err| panic!("stream error {:?}", err));
 
-        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(INITIAL_DELAY_MS));
-        for _i in 0..5 {
-            let found = receiver.poll();
-            if let Ok(Async::Ready(Some(result))) = found {
-                return Ok(result);
-            }
-            std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(RECEIVE_DELAY_MILLIS));
-        }
-        Err(RecvTimeoutError::Timeout)
-    }
-
-    pub(crate) fn robust_poll_or_panic<T>(receiver: futures::sync::mpsc::Receiver<T>) -> T {
-        robust_poll(receiver).unwrap_or_else(|err| panic!("expected response! {}", err))
+            const INITIAL_DELAY_MS: u64 = RECEIVE_DELAY_MILLIS * 2;
+            Delay::new(Instant::now() + Duration::from_millis(INITIAL_DELAY_MS))
+                .and_then(|_| recv_timeout)
+                .map_err(|err| panic!("timer error {:?}", err))
+        }));
+        inner_receiver.recv().expect("recv error")
     }
 
     #[test]