diff --git a/beacon_chain/spec/validator.nim b/beacon_chain/spec/validator.nim
index 4b1e14e62..733b99f06 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/spec/validator.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/spec/validator.nim
@@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ func get_crosslink_committees_at_slot*(state: BeaconState, slot: uint64,
     previous_epoch = if current_epoch > GENESIS_EPOCH: (current_epoch - 1) else: current_epoch
     next_epoch = current_epoch + 1
 
-  assert previous_epoch <= epoch
-  assert epoch <= next_epoch
-  # TODO - Hack: used to be "epoch < next_epoch"
+  assert previous_epoch <= epoch, "Previous epoch: " & $previous_epoch & ", epoch: " & $epoch & ", Next epoch: " & $next_epoch 
+  assert epoch <= next_epoch, "Previous epoch: " & $previous_epoch & ", epoch: " & $epoch & ", Next epoch: " & $next_epoch 
+  # TODO - Hack: used to be "epoch < next_epoch" (exlusive interval)
   # until https://github.com/status-im/nim-beacon-chain/issues/97
 
   template get_epoch_specific_params(): auto =
diff --git a/tests/simulation/start.sh b/tests/simulation/start.sh
index bea34e93b..b73e7b231 100755
--- a/tests/simulation/start.sh
+++ b/tests/simulation/start.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ if [[ -z "$SKIP_BUILDS" ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $STARTUP_FILE ]; then
-  $VALIDATOR_KEYGEN_BIN --validators=$NUMBER_OF_VALIDATORS --outputDir="$SIMULATION_DIR"
+  $VALIDATOR_KEYGEN_BIN --validators=$NUMBER_OF_VALIDATORS --outputDir="$SIMULATION_DIR" --startupDelay=2
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $SNAPSHOT_FILE ]; then