diff --git a/libraries/chain/db_block.cpp b/libraries/chain/db_block.cpp
index 92a71525..39588ef7 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/db_block.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/db_block.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ bool database::_push_block(const signed_block& new_block)
  * queues.
  */
 processed_transaction database::push_transaction( const signed_transaction& trx, uint32_t skip )
-{
+{ try {
    _pending_block.timestamp = head_block_time();
 
    processed_transaction result;
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ processed_transaction database::push_transaction( const signed_transaction& trx,
       result = _push_transaction( trx );
    } );
    return result;
-}
+} FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW( (trx) ) }
 
 processed_transaction database::_push_transaction( const signed_transaction& trx )
 {
@@ -498,8 +498,9 @@ processed_transaction database::_apply_transaction( const signed_transaction& tr
          FC_ASSERT( trx.ref_block_prefix == tapos_block_summary.block_id._hash[1] );
          trx_expiration = tapos_block_summary.timestamp + chain_parameters.block_interval*trx.relative_expiration;
       } else if( trx.relative_expiration == 0 ) {
-         trx_expiration = fc::time_point_sec(trx.ref_block_prefix);
-         FC_ASSERT( trx_expiration <= _pending_block.timestamp + chain_parameters.maximum_time_until_expiration );
+         trx_expiration = fc::time_point_sec() + fc::seconds(trx.ref_block_prefix);
+         FC_ASSERT( trx_expiration <= _pending_block.timestamp + chain_parameters.maximum_time_until_expiration, "", 
+                    ("trx_expiration",trx_expiration)("_pending_block.timestamp",_pending_block.timestamp)("max_til_exp",chain_parameters.maximum_time_until_expiration));
       }
       FC_ASSERT( _pending_block.timestamp <= trx_expiration );
    } else if( !(skip & skip_transaction_signatures) ) {
diff --git a/tests/common/database_fixture.cpp b/tests/common/database_fixture.cpp
index 43464b59..84c45313 100644
--- a/tests/common/database_fixture.cpp
+++ b/tests/common/database_fixture.cpp
@@ -932,9 +932,9 @@ bool _push_block( database& db, const signed_block& b, uint32_t skip_flags /* =
 }
 
 processed_transaction _push_transaction( database& db, const signed_transaction& tx, uint32_t skip_flags /* = 0 */ )
-{
+{ try {
    return db.push_transaction( tx, skip_flags );
-}
+} FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW((tx)) }
 
 } // graphene::chain::test
 
diff --git a/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp b/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
index 441266fa..88315bc0 100644
--- a/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/block_tests.cpp
@@ -462,6 +462,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( tapos )
       db1.push_transaction(trx);
       now += db1.block_interval();
       b = db1.generate_block(now, db1.get_scheduled_witness(1).first, delegate_priv_key, database::skip_nothing);
+      now += db1.block_interval();
+      b = db1.generate_block(now, db1.get_scheduled_witness(1).first, delegate_priv_key, database::skip_nothing);
       trx.clear();
 
       trx.operations.push_back(transfer_operation({asset(), account_id_type(), nathan_id, asset(50)}));
diff --git a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
index da2f58ec..a8307147 100644
--- a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( withdraw_permission_create )
    account_id_type dan_id = create_account("dan", dan_key_id).id;
    transfer(account_id_type(), nathan_id, asset(1000));
    generate_block();
-   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION);
+   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION / 2);
 
    {
       withdraw_permission_create_operation op;
@@ -71,9 +71,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( withdraw_permission_create )
       REQUIRE_THROW_WITH_VALUE(op, withdrawal_period_sec, 1);
       trx.operations.back() = op;
    }
-
    trx.sign(nathan_key_id, nathan_private_key);
-   PUSH_TX( db, trx );
+   db.push_transaction( trx );
    trx.clear();
 } FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW() }
 
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( withdraw_permission_test )
    account_id_type dan_id = get_account("dan").id;
    key_id_type dan_key_id = dan_id(db).active.auths.begin()->first;
    withdraw_permission_id_type permit;
-   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION);
+   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION/2);
 
    fc::time_point_sec first_start_time;
    {
@@ -213,7 +212,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( withdraw_permission_nominal_case )
    account_id_type dan_id = get_account("dan").id;
    key_id_type dan_key_id = dan_id(db).active.auths.begin()->first;
    withdraw_permission_id_type permit;
-   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION);
+   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION/2);
 
    while(true)
    {
@@ -255,7 +254,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( withdraw_permission_update )
    account_id_type dan_id = get_account("dan").id;
    key_id_type nathan_key_id = nathan_id(db).active.auths.begin()->first;
    withdraw_permission_id_type permit;
-   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION);
+   trx.set_expiration(db.head_block_time() + GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_MAX_TIME_UNTIL_EXPIRATION/2);
 
    {
       withdraw_permission_update_operation op;