diff --git a/test/functional/feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py b/test/functional/feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py
index c467002..7edff73 100755
--- a/test/functional/feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py
+++ b/test/functional/feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ def run_test(self):
         assert_equal(len(ledger[0][1]['unlocking']),0)
 
         alice_stash = Keypair.create_from_uri('//Alice//stash')
+        alice = Keypair.create_from_uri('//Alice')
 
         # fetch the genesis utxo from storage
         utxos = list(client.utxos_for(alice_stash))
@@ -87,9 +88,17 @@ def run_test(self):
         assert_equal(events[2].value['event_id'], 'StakeUnlocked')
 
         ledger = list(client.get_staking_ledger())
+
         assert_equal(len(ledger),2)
 
-        time.sleep(500)
+        time_elapsed = 0
+        max_wait = 1200
+        time_step = 1
+        while client.current_era() < client.withdrawal_era(alice):
+            if time_elapsed > max_wait:
+                raise Exception('Timeout: waited too long for withdrawal_era')
+            time.sleep(time_step)
+            time_elapsed +=time_step
 
         (_, _, w_events) = client.withdraw_stake(alice_stash)
 
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/mintlayer/staking.py b/test/functional/test_framework/mintlayer/staking.py
index 722e9ac..cdfec7a 100644
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/mintlayer/staking.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/mintlayer/staking.py
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ def current_era(self):
             module='Staking',
             storage_function='CurrentEra'
         )
-        return query
+        # this query returns an object of type scalecodec.types.U32
+        # so we convert it to an integer
+        # TODO find a more elegant way to do conversion
+        return int("{}".format(query))
 
     """ gets the staking ledger of the given key """
     def get_ledger(self, keypair):
diff --git a/test/functional/test_runner.py b/test/functional/test_runner.py
index ad07c29..635b752 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_runner.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_runner.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     'feature_staking_withdraw_no_unlock.py',
     'feature_staking_withdraw_not_validator.py',
     'feature_smart_contract_test.py',
-#     'feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py' ## should be ran on 20 secs
+    'feature_staking_unlock_and_withdraw.py' ## should be ran on 20 secs
     # Don't append tests at the end to avoid merge conflicts
     # Put them in a random line within the section that fits their approximate run-time
 ]