diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/reliable_channel/reliable_channel_acks.spec.ts b/packages/sdk/src/reliable_channel/reliable_channel_acks.spec.ts
index 9cce421c59..88b5974372 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/reliable_channel/reliable_channel_acks.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/reliable_channel/reliable_channel_acks.spec.ts
@@ -6,18 +6,37 @@ import {
   IDecoder,
   IEncoder
 } from "@waku/interfaces";
-import {
-  createRoutingInfo,
-  delay,
-  MockWakuEvents,
-  MockWakuNode
-} from "@waku/utils";
+import { createRoutingInfo, MockWakuEvents, MockWakuNode } from "@waku/utils";
 import { bytesToUtf8, utf8ToBytes } from "@waku/utils/bytes";
 import { expect } from "chai";
 import { beforeEach, describe } from "mocha";
 
 import { ReliableChannel } from "./index.js";
 
+function waitForEvent<T>(
+  emitter: TypedEventEmitter<any>,
+  eventName: string,
+  predicate?: (detail: T) => boolean,
+  timeoutMs: number = 5000
+): Promise<T> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+      emitter.removeEventListener(eventName, handler);
+      reject(new Error(`Timeout waiting for event: ${eventName}`));
+    }, timeoutMs);
+
+    const handler = (event: CustomEvent<T>): void => {
+      if (!predicate || predicate(event.detail)) {
+        clearTimeout(timeout);
+        emitter.removeEventListener(eventName, handler);
+        resolve(event.detail);
+      }
+    };
+
+    emitter.addEventListener(eventName, handler);
+  });
+}
+
 const TEST_CONTENT_TOPIC = "/my-tests/0/topic-name/proto";
 const TEST_NETWORK_CONFIG: AutoSharding = {
   clusterId: 0,
@@ -64,33 +83,29 @@ describe("Reliable Channel: Acks", () => {
     // Alice sets up message tracking
     const messageId = ReliableChannel.getMessageId(message);
 
-    let messageReceived = false;
-    reliableChannelBob.addEventListener("message-received", (event) => {
-      if (bytesToUtf8(event.detail.payload) === "first message in channel") {
-        messageReceived = true;
-      }
-    });
+    const messageReceivedPromise = waitForEvent<IDecodedMessage>(
+      reliableChannelBob,
+      "message-received",
+      (msg) => bytesToUtf8(msg.payload) === "first message in channel"
+    );
 
-    let messageAcknowledged = false;
-    reliableChannelAlice.addEventListener("message-acknowledged", (event) => {
-      if (event.detail === messageId) {
-        messageAcknowledged = true;
-      }
-    });
+    const messageAcknowledgedPromise = waitForEvent<string>(
+      reliableChannelAlice,
+      "message-acknowledged",
+      (id) => id === messageId
+    );
 
+    // Alice sends the message
     reliableChannelAlice.send(message);
 
     // Wait for Bob to receive the message to ensure it uses it in causal history
-    while (!messageReceived) {
-      await delay(50);
-    }
-    // Bobs sends a message now, it should include first one in causal history
-    reliableChannelBob.send(utf8ToBytes("second message in channel"));
-    while (!messageAcknowledged) {
-      await delay(50);
-    }
+    await messageReceivedPromise;
 
-    expect(messageAcknowledged).to.be.true;
+    // Bob sends a message now, it should include first one in causal history
+    reliableChannelBob.send(utf8ToBytes("second message in channel"));
+
+    // Wait for Alice to receive acknowledgment
+    await messageAcknowledgedPromise;
   });
 
   it("Re-sent message is acknowledged once other parties join.", async () => {
@@ -115,18 +130,17 @@ describe("Reliable Channel: Acks", () => {
     // acknowledged in this test.
     const message = utf8ToBytes("message to be acknowledged");
     const messageId = ReliableChannel.getMessageId(message);
+
     let messageAcknowledged = false;
     reliableChannelAlice.addEventListener("message-acknowledged", (event) => {
       if (event.detail === messageId) {
         messageAcknowledged = true;
       }
     });
+
     reliableChannelAlice.send(message);
 
-    // Wait a bit to ensure Bob does not receive the message
-    await delay(100);
-
-    // Now Bob goes online
+    // Now Bob goes online (no need to wait since Bob wasn't online to receive it)
     const mockWakuNodeBob = new MockWakuNode(commonEventEmitter);
     const reliableChannelBob = await ReliableChannel.create(
       mockWakuNodeBob,
@@ -141,47 +155,51 @@ describe("Reliable Channel: Acks", () => {
       }
     );
 
-    // Track when Bob receives the message
-    let bobReceivedMessage = false;
-    reliableChannelBob.addEventListener("message-received", (event) => {
-      if (bytesToUtf8(event.detail.payload!) === "message to be acknowledged") {
-        bobReceivedMessage = true;
-      }
-    });
-
     // Some sync messages are exchanged
     await reliableChannelAlice["sendSyncMessage"]();
     await reliableChannelBob["sendSyncMessage"]();
 
-    // wait a bit to ensure messages are processed
-    await delay(100);
+    // Wait for Bob to receive "some message" to ensure sync messages were processed
+    const bobReceivedSomeMessagePromise = waitForEvent<IDecodedMessage>(
+      reliableChannelBob,
+      "message-received",
+      (msg) => bytesToUtf8(msg.payload) === "some message"
+    );
 
     // Some content messages are exchanged too
     reliableChannelAlice.send(utf8ToBytes("some message"));
     reliableChannelBob.send(utf8ToBytes("some other message"));
 
-    // wait a bit to ensure messages are processed
-    await delay(100);
+    // Wait for the "some message" to be received to ensure messages are processed
+    await bobReceivedSomeMessagePromise;
 
     // At this point, the message shouldn't be acknowledged yet as Bob
     // does not have a complete log
     expect(messageAcknowledged).to.be.false;
 
     // Now Alice resends the message
+    const bobReceivedMessagePromise = waitForEvent<IDecodedMessage>(
+      reliableChannelBob,
+      "message-received",
+      (msg) => bytesToUtf8(msg.payload) === "message to be acknowledged"
+    );
+
     reliableChannelAlice.send(message);
 
     // Wait for Bob to receive the message
-    while (!bobReceivedMessage) {
-      await delay(50);
-    }
+    await bobReceivedMessagePromise;
+
+    // Set up promise waiter for acknowledgment before Bob sends sync
+    const messageAcknowledgedPromise = waitForEvent<string>(
+      reliableChannelAlice,
+      "message-acknowledged",
+      (id) => id === messageId
+    );
 
     // Bob receives it, and should include it in its sync
     await reliableChannelBob["sendSyncMessage"]();
-    while (!messageAcknowledged) {
-      await delay(50);
-    }
 
-    // The sync should acknowledge the message
-    expect(messageAcknowledged).to.be.true;
+    // Wait for acknowledgment
+    await messageAcknowledgedPromise;
   });
 });