diff --git a/scripts/tests/test-rpc.js b/scripts/tests/test-rpc.js
index f655f7888..2e956cb88 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/test-rpc.js
+++ b/scripts/tests/test-rpc.js
@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@ var createUser = function (config, cb) {
         }));
     }).nThen(function (w) {
         // give the server time to write your mailbox data before checking that it's correct
+        // XXX chainpad-server sends an ACK before the channel has actually been created
+        // causing you to think that everything is good.
+        // without this timeout the GET_METADATA rpc occasionally returns before
+        // the metadata has actually been written to the disk.
         setTimeout(w(), 500);
     }).nThen(function (w) {
         // confirm that you own your mailbox