diff --git a/carnot/carnot_simulation_psuedocode.py b/carnot/carnot_simulation_psuedocode.py
index 0999b3f..496842e 100644
--- a/carnot/carnot_simulation_psuedocode.py
+++ b/carnot/carnot_simulation_psuedocode.py
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ def simulate_message_passing(committee, latency):
         int: The number of levels the message passed through.
     """
     # Base case: if the committee is the root (no parent), return 0 (the message reached the root)
+    time.sleep(latency)
     if committee.parent_committee is None:
         return 0
-    time.sleep(latency)
     # Simulate the message passing to the parent committee and get its result
     parent_result = simulate_message_passing(committee.parent_committee,latency)
 
diff --git a/carnot/test_carnot_simulation.py b/carnot/test_carnot_simulation.py
index 4821375..6d24cba 100644
--- a/carnot/test_carnot_simulation.py
+++ b/carnot/test_carnot_simulation.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def test_message_passing():
     result = simulate_message_passing(leaf_committee, latency)
     end_time = time.time()
 
-    expected_result = num_levels - 1
+    expected_result = num_levels
     assert result == expected_result, f"Test Case 1 failed. Expected: {expected_result}, Got: {result}"
 
     print(f"Test Case 1: Number of Levels Message Passed: {result}, Elapsed Time: {end_time - start_time:.4f} seconds")