diff --git a/rpc/client/event_test.go b/rpc/client/event_test.go
index e5f5aba7..9f0a585e 100644
--- a/rpc/client/event_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client/event_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
+var waitForEventTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+
 // MakeTxKV returns a text transaction, allong with expected key, value pair
 func MakeTxKV() ([]byte, []byte, []byte) {
 	k := []byte(cmn.RandStr(8))
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ func TestHeaderEvents(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		evtTyp := types.EventNewBlockHeader
-		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, 1*time.Second)
+		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, waitForEventTimeout)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		_, ok := evt.Unwrap().(types.EventDataNewBlockHeader)
 		require.True(ok, "%d: %#v", i, evt)
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ func TestBlockEvents(t *testing.T) {
 		var firstBlockHeight int
 		for j := 0; j < 3; j++ {
 			evtTyp := types.EventNewBlock
-			evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, 1*time.Second)
+			evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, waitForEventTimeout)
 			require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", j, err)
 			blockEvent, ok := evt.Unwrap().(types.EventDataNewBlock)
 			require.True(ok, "%d: %#v", j, evt)
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ func TestTxEventsSentWithBroadcastTxAsync(t *testing.T) {
 		require.True(txres.Code.IsOK())
 
 		// and wait for confirmation
-		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, 1*time.Second)
+		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, waitForEventTimeout)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		// and make sure it has the proper info
 		txe, ok := evt.Unwrap().(types.EventDataTx)
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ func TestTxEventsSentWithBroadcastTxSync(t *testing.T) {
 		require.True(txres.Code.IsOK())
 
 		// and wait for confirmation
-		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, 1*time.Second)
+		evt, err := client.WaitForOneEvent(c, evtTyp, waitForEventTimeout)
 		require.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
 		// and make sure it has the proper info
 		txe, ok := evt.Unwrap().(types.EventDataTx)
diff --git a/rpc/core/events.go b/rpc/core/events.go
index af224a6b..81f1c919 100644
--- a/rpc/core/events.go
+++ b/rpc/core/events.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ func Subscribe(wsCtx rpctypes.WSRPCContext, query string) (*ctypes.ResultSubscri
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to add subscription")
 	}
 
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Millisecond)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), subscribeTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	ch := make(chan interface{})
 	err = eventBus.Subscribe(ctx, addr, q, ch)
diff --git a/rpc/core/mempool.go b/rpc/core/mempool.go
index 46204ebf..382b2f55 100644
--- a/rpc/core/mempool.go
+++ b/rpc/core/mempool.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func BroadcastTxSync(tx types.Tx) (*ctypes.ResultBroadcastTx, error) {
 // | tx        | Tx   | nil     | true     | The transaction |
 func BroadcastTxCommit(tx types.Tx) (*ctypes.ResultBroadcastTxCommit, error) {
 	// subscribe to tx being committed in block
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Millisecond)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), subscribeTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	deliverTxResCh := make(chan interface{})
 	q := types.EventQueryTx(tx)
diff --git a/rpc/core/pipe.go b/rpc/core/pipe.go
index cbe6cc42..0f3f7472 100644
--- a/rpc/core/pipe.go
+++ b/rpc/core/pipe.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package core
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus"
 	cstypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus/types"
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/log"
 )
 
+var subscribeTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+
 //----------------------------------------------
 // These interfaces are used by RPC and must be thread safe
 
diff --git a/rpc/lib/client/ws_client_test.go b/rpc/lib/client/ws_client_test.go
index 190cbcdc..3a0632e3 100644
--- a/rpc/lib/client/ws_client_test.go
+++ b/rpc/lib/client/ws_client_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ import (
 	types "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/types"
 )
 
+var wsCallTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+
 type myHandler struct {
 	closeConnAfterRead bool
 	mtx                sync.RWMutex
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ func TestWSClientReconnectFailure(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// results in WS write error
 	// provide timeout to avoid blocking
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), wsCallTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	c.Call(ctx, "a", make(map[string]interface{}))