diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py b/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
@@ -328,9 +328,13 @@
     def __init__(self, support_addrv2=False):
         super().__init__()
 
-        # Track number of messages of each type received and the most recent
-        # message of each type
+        # Track number of messages of each type received.
+        # Should be read-only in a test.
         self.message_count = defaultdict(int)
+
+        # Track the most recent message of each type.
+        # To wait for a message to be received, pop that message from
+        # this and use wait_until.
         self.last_message = {}
 
         # A count of the number of ping messages we've sent to the node
@@ -558,7 +562,7 @@
 
     def wait_for_verack(self, timeout=60):
         def test_function():
-            return self.message_count["verack"]
+            return "verack" in self.last_message
 
         self.wait_until(test_function, timeout=timeout, check_connected=False)