diff --git a/tools/docker-network/tests/dockerframework.go b/tools/docker-network/tests/dockerframework.go
index 51e4e2f37..89074a300 100644
--- a/tools/docker-network/tests/dockerframework.go
+++ b/tools/docker-network/tests/dockerframework.go
@@ -403,11 +403,14 @@ func (d *DockerTestFramework) CreateTaggedDataBlock(issuerID iotago.AccountID, t
 	}, issuerID, congestionResp, issuerResp)
 }
 
-func (d *DockerTestFramework) SubmitValidationBlock(issuerID iotago.AccountID) *iotago.Block {
+func (d *DockerTestFramework) SubmitValidationBlock(issuerID iotago.AccountID, issueNode ...string) *iotago.Block {
 	issuer := d.wallet.Account(issuerID)
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 	issuingTime := time.Now()
 	clt := d.wallet.DefaultClient()
+	if issueNode != nil {
+		clt = d.wallet.Clients[issueNode[0]]
+	}
 	currentSlot := d.wallet.DefaultClient().LatestAPI().TimeProvider().SlotFromTime(issuingTime)
 	apiForSlot := d.wallet.DefaultClient().APIForSlot(currentSlot)
 
diff --git a/tools/docker-network/tests/rewards_test.go b/tools/docker-network/tests/rewards_test.go
index 103c9293c..d1ff5a707 100644
--- a/tools/docker-network/tests/rewards_test.go
+++ b/tools/docker-network/tests/rewards_test.go
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ func Test_ValidatorRewards(t *testing.T) {
 	fmt.Println("Wait for ", secToWait, "until expected slot: ", claimingSlot)
 
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	issueValidationBlockInBackground(&wg, d, account.ID, currentSlot, claimingSlot, 3, slotsDuration)
-	issueValidationBlockInBackground(&wg, d, lazyAccount.ID, currentSlot, claimingSlot, 1, slotsDuration)
+	issueValidationBlockInBackground(&wg, d, account.ID, currentSlot, claimingSlot, 5)
+	issueValidationBlockInBackground(&wg, d, lazyAccount.ID, currentSlot, claimingSlot, 1)
 
 	wg.Wait()
 
@@ -241,19 +241,28 @@ func issueCandidacyPayloadInBackground(d *DockerTestFramework, accountID iotago.
 	}()
 }
 
-func issueValidationBlockInBackground(wg *sync.WaitGroup, d *DockerTestFramework, accountID iotago.AccountID, startSlot, endSlot iotago.SlotIndex, blocksPerSlot int, slotDuration uint8) {
+func issueValidationBlockInBackground(wg *sync.WaitGroup, d *DockerTestFramework, accountID iotago.AccountID, startSlot, endSlot iotago.SlotIndex, blocksPerSlot int) {
 	wg.Add(1)
 
 	go func() {
 		defer wg.Done()
 		fmt.Println("Issuing validation block for account", accountID, "in the background...")
 		defer fmt.Println("Issuing validation block for account", accountID, "in the background......done")
+		clt := d.wallet.DefaultClient()
 
 		for i := startSlot; i < endSlot; i++ {
+			// wait until the slot is reached
+			for {
+				if clt.CommittedAPI().TimeProvider().CurrentSlot() == i {
+					break
+				}
+				time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+			}
+
 			for range blocksPerSlot {
 				d.SubmitValidationBlock(accountID)
+				time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 			}
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(slotDuration) * time.Second)
 		}
 	}()
 }
diff --git a/tools/docker-network/tests/wallet.go b/tools/docker-network/tests/wallet.go
index ebb4c3006..28c06c3d9 100644
--- a/tools/docker-network/tests/wallet.go
+++ b/tools/docker-network/tests/wallet.go
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ func (w *DockerWallet) ClaimValidatorRewards(issuerAccountID iotago.AccountID, i
 		}).
 		AddRewardInput(&iotago.RewardInput{Index: 0}, rewardResp.Rewards).
 		AddBlockIssuanceCreditInput(&iotago.BlockIssuanceCreditInput{
-			AccountID: accountOutput.AccountID,
+			AccountID: issuerAccountID,
 		}).
 		AddCommitmentInput(&iotago.CommitmentInput{CommitmentID: lo.Return1(issuerResp.LatestCommitment.ID())}).
 		AddOutput(accountOutput).