diff --git a/manager_test.go b/manager_test.go
index 03c28fc..dc64bd6 100644
--- a/manager_test.go
+++ b/manager_test.go
@@ -9,13 +9,30 @@ import (
 type graph_tester testing.T
 const listner_timeout = 50 * time.Millisecond
 
-func (t * graph_tester) CheckForValue(listener chan GraphSignal, str string) {
+func (t * graph_tester) WaitForValue(listener chan GraphSignal, signal_type string, timeout time.Duration, str string) GraphSignal {
+  timeout_channel := time.After(timeout)
+  for true {
+    select {
+    case signal := <- listener:
+      if signal.Type() == signal_type {
+        return signal
+      }
+    case <-timeout_channel:
+      t.Fatal(str)
+      return nil
+    }
+  }
+  return nil
+}
+
+func (t * graph_tester) CheckForValue(listener chan GraphSignal, str string) GraphSignal {
   timeout := time.After(listner_timeout)
   select {
-    case <- listener:
-      return
+    case signal := <- listener:
+      return signal
     case <-timeout:
       t.Fatal(str)
+      return nil
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/vex_test.go b/vex_test.go
index b1422b7..9456f6b 100644
--- a/vex_test.go
+++ b/vex_test.go
@@ -149,37 +149,31 @@ func TestNewMatch(t *testing.T) {
   }()
 
   go func(match_c chan GraphSignal) {
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting 2")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting 3")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "event_start", 1*time.Second, "no event_start")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting")
     SendUpdate(arena, NewSignal(nil, "queue_autonomous"))
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after queueing autonomous 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after queueing autonomous 2")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after queueing autonomous 3")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "autonomous_queued", 1*time.Second, "no autonomous_queued")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after queueing autonomous")
     auton_signal := NewSignal(nil, "start_autonomous")
     auton_signal.time = time.Now()
     SendUpdate(arena, auton_signal)
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting autonomous 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting autonomous 2")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting autonomous 3")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "autonomous_running", 1*time.Second, "no autonomous_running")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting autonomous")
     time.Sleep(TEMP_AUTON_TIME)
     time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 100)
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after ending autonomous 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after ending autonomous 2")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "autonomous_done", 6*time.Second, "no autonomous_done")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after ending autonomous")
     SendUpdate(arena, NewSignal(nil, "queue_driver"))
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after queueing driver 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after queueing driver 2")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after queueing driver 3")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "driver_queued", 1*time.Second, "no driver_queued")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after queueing driver")
     driver_signal := NewSignal(nil, "start_driver")
     driver_signal.time = time.Now()
     SendUpdate(arena, driver_signal)
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting driver 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after starting driver 2")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting driver 3")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "driver_running", 1*time.Second, "no driver_running")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after starting driver")
     time.Sleep(TEMP_DRIVE_TIME)
     time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 100)
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after game done 1")
-    (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForValue(match_c, "no update to match after game done 2")
+    (*graph_tester)(t).WaitForValue(match_c, "driver_done", 1*time.Second, "no driver_done")
     (*graph_tester)(t).CheckForNone(match_c, "update to match after game done 3")
   }(match_c)