diff --git a/memberships/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/rbc/ReliableBroadcaster.java b/memberships/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/rbc/ReliableBroadcaster.java
index 45ee2038f..d3d653fad 100644
--- a/memberships/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/rbc/ReliableBroadcaster.java
+++ b/memberships/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/rbc/ReliableBroadcaster.java
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ private void deliver(List<Msg> newMsgs) {
         if (newMsgs.isEmpty()) {
             return;
         }
-        log.debug("delivering: {} on: {}", newMsgs.size(), member.getId());
+        log.trace("delivering: {} on: {}", newMsgs.size(), member.getId());
         channelHandlers.values().forEach(handler -> {
             try {
                 handler.message(context.getId(), newMsgs);
@@ -229,14 +229,11 @@ private Reconcile gossipRound(ReliableBroadcast link, int ring) {
     private void handle(Optional<Reconcile> result,
                         RingCommunications.Destination<Member, ReliableBroadcast> destination, Duration duration,
                         ScheduledExecutorService scheduler, Timer.Context timer) {
+        if (result.isEmpty()) {
+            return;
+        }
         try {
-            Reconcile gossip;
-            try {
-                gossip = result.get();
-            } catch (NoSuchElementException e) {
-                log.debug("null gossiping with {} on: {}", destination.member().getId(), member.getId(), e.getCause());
-                return;
-            }
+            Reconcile gossip = result.get();
             buffer.receive(gossip.getUpdatesList());
             destination.link()
                        .update(ReconcileContext.newBuilder()
diff --git a/memberships/src/test/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/RbcTest.java b/memberships/src/test/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/RbcTest.java
index 22a53854a..b4b857097 100644
--- a/memberships/src/test/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/RbcTest.java
+++ b/memberships/src/test/java/com/salesforce/apollo/membership/messaging/RbcTest.java
@@ -108,10 +108,8 @@ public void broadcast() throws Exception {
         }
         int rounds = Boolean.getBoolean("large_tests") ? 100 : 10;
         for (int r = 0; r < rounds; r++) {
-            CountDownLatch round = new CountDownLatch(messengers.size());
-            for (Receiver receiver : receivers.values()) {
-                receiver.setRound(round);
-            }
+            CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(messengers.size());
+            round.set(latch);
             var rnd = r;
             messengers.stream().forEach(view -> {
                 byte[] rand = new byte[32];
@@ -122,8 +120,8 @@ public void broadcast() throws Exception {
                 buf.flip();
                 view.publish(ByteMessage.newBuilder().setContents(ByteString.copyFrom(buf)).build(), true);
             });
-            boolean success = round.await(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
-            assertTrue(success, "Did not complete round: " + r + " waiting for: " + round.getCount());
+            boolean success = latch.await(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+            assertTrue(success, "Did not complete round: " + r + " waiting for: " + latch.getCount());
 
             current.incrementAndGet();
             for (Receiver receiver : receivers.values()) {
@@ -140,12 +138,12 @@ public void broadcast() throws Exception {
                 .build()
                 .report();
     }
+    final AtomicReference<CountDownLatch> round = new AtomicReference<>();
 
     class Receiver implements MessageHandler {
         final Set<Digest> counted = Collections.newSetFromMap(new ConcurrentHashMap<>());
         final AtomicInteger current;
         final Digest memberId;
-        final AtomicReference<CountDownLatch> round = new AtomicReference<>();
 
         Receiver(Digest memberId, int cardinality, AtomicInteger current) {
             this.current = current;
@@ -181,10 +179,6 @@ public void message(Digest context, List<Msg> messages) {
             });
         }
 
-        public void setRound(CountDownLatch round) {
-            this.round.set(round);
-        }
-
         void reset() {
             counted.clear();
         }
diff --git a/memberships/src/test/resources/logback-test.xml b/memberships/src/test/resources/logback-test.xml
index 173ca38f1..dfac01527 100644
--- a/memberships/src/test/resources/logback-test.xml
+++ b/memberships/src/test/resources/logback-test.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 	<logger name="com.salesforce.apollo.stereotomy" level="warn" additivity="false">
 		<appender-ref ref="STDOUT" />
 	</logger>
-	<logger name="com.salesforce.apollo.membership.messaging.rbc" level="trace" additivity="false">
+	<logger name="com.salesforce.apollo.membership.messaging.rbc" level="warn" additivity="false">
 		<appender-ref ref="STDOUT" />
 	</logger>
 	<logger name="com.salesforce.apollo.membership.messaging.rbc.comms" level="warn" additivity="false">