diff --git a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/Parameters.java b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/Parameters.java
index 803dcfa44..ec5aa1df1 100644
--- a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/Parameters.java
+++ b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/Parameters.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  */
 public record Parameters(int joinRetries, int minimumBiffCardinality, int rebuttalTimeout, int viewChangeRounds,
                          int finalizeViewRounds, double fpr, int maximumTxfr, Duration retryDelay, int maxPending,
-                         Duration seedingTimeout, int validationRetries, int crowns) {
+                         Duration seedingTimeout, int validationRetries, int crowns, Duration populateDuration) {
 
     public static Builder newBuilder() {
         return new Builder();
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@ public static class Builder {
          * Minimum number of rounds to check for view change
          */
         private int      viewChangeRounds       = 7;
+        private Duration populateDuration       = Duration.ofMillis(20);
 
         public Parameters build() {
             return new Parameters(joinRetries, minimumBiffCardinality, rebuttalTimeout, viewChangeRounds,
                                   finalizeViewRounds, fpr, maximumTxfr, retryDelay, maxPending, seedingTimout,
-                                  validationRetries, crowns);
+                                  validationRetries, crowns, populateDuration);
         }
 
         public int getCrowns() {
@@ -138,6 +139,15 @@ public Builder setMinimumBiffCardinality(int minimumBiffCardinality) {
             return this;
         }
 
+        public Duration getPopulateDuration() {
+            return populateDuration;
+        }
+
+        public Builder setPopulateDuration(Duration populateDuration) {
+            this.populateDuration = populateDuration;
+            return this;
+        }
+
         public int getRebuttalTimeout() {
             return rebuttalTimeout;
         }
diff --git a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/View.java b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/View.java
index 65346def8..1a32112fb 100644
--- a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/View.java
+++ b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/View.java
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ void processUpdates(Gossip gossip) {
      * @param ring
      */
     boolean redirect(Participant member, Gossip gossip, int ring) {
-        if (!gossip.hasRedirect()) {
+        if (gossip.getRedirect().equals(SignedNote.getDefaultInstance())) {
             log.warn("Redirect from: {} on ring: {} did not contain redirect member note on: {}", member.getId(), ring,
                      node.getId());
             return false;
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ private void gossip(Optional<Gossip> result, RingCommunications.Destination<Part
                 final var member = destination.member();
                 try {
                     Gossip gossip = result.get();
-                    if (gossip.hasRedirect()) {
+                    if (!gossip.getRedirect().equals(SignedNote.getDefaultInstance())) {
                         stable(() -> redirect(member, gossip, destination.ring()));
                     } else if (viewManagement.joined()) {
                         try {
diff --git a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
index 7124e4fd3..5a62ea8d0 100644
--- a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
+++ b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ void populate(List<Participant> sample) {
             return view.gossip(link, 0);
         }, (futureSailor, link, m) -> {
             futureSailor.ifPresent(g -> {
-                if (g.hasRedirect()) {
+                if (!g.getRedirect().equals(SignedNote.getDefaultInstance())) {
                     final Participant member = (Participant) link.getMember();
                     view.stable(() -> view.redirect(member, g, 0));
                 } else {
@@ -396,10 +396,10 @@ void populate(List<Participant> sample) {
             return !joined();
         }, () -> {
             if (!joined()) {
-                scheduler.schedule(() -> Thread.ofVirtual().start(Utils.wrapped(repopulate.get(), log)), 500,
-                                   TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+                scheduler.schedule(() -> Thread.ofVirtual().start(Utils.wrapped(repopulate.get(), log)),
+                                   params.populateDuration().toNanos(), TimeUnit.NANOSECONDS);
             }
-        }, Duration.ofMillis(500)));
+        }, params.populateDuration()));
         repopulate.get().run();
     }