diff --git a/lib/governanceRpc.test.js b/lib/governanceRpc.test.js
index 23311bf..4660bec 100644
--- a/lib/governanceRpc.test.js
+++ b/lib/governanceRpc.test.js
@@ -87,29 +87,87 @@ test('malformed current-vote data is not certified as an empty tally', async ()
     code: 'governance_rpc_unavailable',
   });
 });
-test('actual HTTP timeout after receiving vote is unknown and never automatically retried', async () => {
+test('deadline after the real server receives a vote is unknown and never automatically retried', async () => {
   let count = 0;
+  let received;
   const server = http.createServer((req) => {
     count++;
-    req.resume();
+    const chunks = [];
+    req.on('data', (chunk) => chunks.push(chunk));
+    req.on('end', () => received(JSON.parse(Buffer.concat(chunks).toString())));
   });
   await new Promise((resolve) => server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve));
+  const actualSetTimeout = global.setTimeout;
+  const transport = axios.create();
+  // Keep the real HTTP connection, while controlling which deadline fires.
+  // Axios's own timeout is disabled here so the server receipt is observed
+  // before the RPC's 30 ms deadline callback is invoked deterministically.
+  const instance = {
+    post: jest.fn((url, body, options) => {
+      expect(options.timeout).toBe(30);
+      return transport.post(url, body, { ...options, timeout: 0 });
+    }),
+  };
   const rpc = createGovernanceRpc(
-    {
-      url: `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`,
-      instance: axios.create(),
-    },
+    { url: `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`, instance },
     { timeoutMs: 30 }
   );
   try {
-    await expect(rpc.voteRaw(...args)).rejects.toMatchObject({
+    async function afterReceipt(call, expectedMethod, expectedParams) {
+      const requestReceived = new Promise((resolve) => { received = resolve; });
+      let expire;
+      const spy = jest.spyOn(global, 'setTimeout').mockImplementationOnce((fn, ms) => {
+        expect(ms).toBe(30);
+        expire = fn;
+        // Return a real, cleared timer handle for the RPC's normal cleanup.
+        return actualSetTimeout(() => {}, ms);
+      });
+      let result;
+      try {
+        result = call();
+      } finally {
+        spy.mockRestore();
+      }
+      const body = await requestReceived;
+      expect(body).toMatchObject({ method: expectedMethod, params: expectedParams });
+      expire();
+      return result;
+    }
+    await expect(afterReceipt(() => rpc.voteRaw(...args), 'voteraw', args)).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: 'submission_unknown',
       uncertain: true,
     });
     expect(count).toBe(1);
-    await expect(rpc.getCurrentVotes(args[2])).rejects.toMatchObject({
+    expect(instance.post).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    await expect(afterReceipt(() => rpc.getCurrentVotes(args[2]), 'gobject_getcurrentvotes', [args[2]])).rejects.toMatchObject({
       code: 'governance_rpc_unavailable',
     });
     expect(count).toBe(2);
+    expect(instance.post).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  } finally {
+    server.closeAllConnections();
+    await new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve));
+  }
+});
+test('real HTTP timeout is uncertain even when delivery cannot be established', async () => {
+  let count = 0;
+  const server = http.createServer((req) => {
+    count++;
+    req.resume();
+  });
+  await new Promise((resolve) => server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve));
+  const instance = axios.create();
+  const post = jest.spyOn(instance, 'post');
+  const rpc = createGovernanceRpc(
+    { url: `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`, instance },
+    { timeoutMs: 30 }
+  );
+  try {
+    await expect(rpc.voteRaw(...args)).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: 'submission_unknown', uncertain: true,
+    });
+    expect(post).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(count).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
   } finally {
     server.closeAllConnections();
     await new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve));