diff --git a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/GenesisAssembly.java b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/GenesisAssembly.java
index cdcb732dd..a5ee566f6 100644
--- a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/GenesisAssembly.java
+++ b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/GenesisAssembly.java
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@ public GenesisAssembly(ViewContext vc, CommonCommunications<Terminal, ?> comms,
 
     @Override
     public void certify() {
-        if (slate.size() != nextAssembly.size()) {
+        if (slate.size() < params().majority()) {
             log.info("Not certifying genesis for: {} need: {} slate incomplete: {} on: {}", view.context().getId(),
-                     nextAssembly.size(), slate.keySet().stream().sorted().toList(), params().member().getId());
+                     params().majority(), slate.keySet().stream().sorted().toList(), params().member().getId());
             return;
         }
-        assert slate.size() == nextAssembly.size() : "Expected: %s members, slate: %s".formatted(nextAssembly.size(),
+        assert slate.size() >= params().majority() : "Expected: %s members, slate: %s".formatted(params().majority(),
                                                                                                  slate.size());
         reconfiguration = new HashedBlock(params().digestAlgorithm(), view.genesis(slate, view.context().getId(),
                                                                                    new NullBlock(
@@ -187,12 +187,12 @@ public void publish() {
             log.trace("Cannot publish genesis, reconfiguration is NULL on: {}", params().member().getId());
             return;
         }
-        if (witnesses.size() < nextAssembly.size()) {
+        if (witnesses.size() < params().majority()) {
             log.trace("Cannot publish genesis: {} with: {} witnesses on: {}", reconfiguration.hash, witnesses.size(),
                       params().member().getId());
             return;
         }
-        if (reconfiguration.block.getGenesis().getInitialView().getJoinsCount() < nextAssembly.size()) {
+        if (reconfiguration.block.getGenesis().getInitialView().getJoinsCount() < params().majority()) {
             log.trace("Cannot publish genesis: {} with: {} joins on: {}", reconfiguration.hash,
                       reconfiguration.block.getGenesis().getInitialView().getJoinsCount(), params().member().getId());
             return;
diff --git a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/ViewAssembly.java b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/ViewAssembly.java
index 238f92f46..c6b854426 100644
--- a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/ViewAssembly.java
+++ b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/ViewAssembly.java
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ public void checkAssembly() {
         }
 
         public void checkViews() {
+            countdown.set(-1);
             vote();
         }
 
@@ -442,6 +443,15 @@ public void complete() {
             ViewAssembly.this.complete();
         }
 
+        @Override
+        public void convened() {
+            if (viewProposals.size() == params().context().getRingCount()) {
+                transitions.proposed();
+            } else {
+                countdown.set(2);
+            }
+        }
+
         @Override
         public void failed() {
             view.onFailure();
diff --git a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/fsm/Reconfiguration.java b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/fsm/Reconfiguration.java
index c76a2492d..41532259b 100644
--- a/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/fsm/Reconfiguration.java
+++ b/choam/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/choam/fsm/Reconfiguration.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ public interface Reconfiguration {
 
     void complete();
 
+    void convened();
+
     void failed();
 
     void finish();
@@ -39,11 +41,27 @@ public void publish() {
                 context().publishViews();
             }
 
-            // We have a majority of members submitting view proposals
+            // We have a >= majority submitting view proposals
+            @Override
+            public Transitions proposed() {
+                return CONVIENE;
+            }
+        }, CONVIENE {
+            @Override
+            public Transitions countdownCompleted() {
+                return proposed();
+            }
+
+            // We have a >= majority of members submitting view proposals
             @Override
             public Transitions proposed() {
                 return VIEW_AGREEMENT;
             }
+
+            @Entry
+            public void conviene() {
+                context().convened();
+            }
         }, CERTIFICATION {
             // We have a full complement of the committee view proposals
             @Override
@@ -100,10 +118,15 @@ public Transitions certified() {
 
             @Override
             public Transitions checkAssembly() {
-                context().vibeCheck();
+                context().checkAssembly();
                 return null;
             }
 
+            @Entry
+            public void vibin() {
+                context().vibeCheck();
+            }
+
             // Check to see if we already have a full complement of committee Joins
             @Entry
             public void chillin() {
@@ -157,12 +180,13 @@ public Transitions viewAcquired() {
                 return GATHER;
             }
 
-            // no op+
+            // no op
             @Override
             public Transitions proposed() {
                 return null;
             }
         }
+
     }
 
     interface Transitions extends FsmExecutor<Reconfiguration, Transitions> {