diff --git a/heat/engine/scheduler.py b/heat/engine/scheduler.py
index e98474f88..9fbeb15e5 100644
--- a/heat/engine/scheduler.py
+++ b/heat/engine/scheduler.py
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ class TaskRunner(object):
         sleeping, pass `None` for `wait_time`.
         """
         self.start(timeout=timeout)
+        # ensure that wait is applied only if task has not completed.
+        if not self.done():
+            self._sleep(wait_time)
         self.run_to_completion(wait_time=wait_time)
 
     def start(self, timeout=None):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_scheduler.py b/heat/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 8733238fb..cf83a3e89 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 import contextlib
 
 import eventlet
-import mox
 
 from heat.engine import dependencies
 from heat.engine import scheduler
@@ -46,13 +45,14 @@ class PollingTaskGroupTest(HeatTestCase):
             self.m.StubOutWithMock(t, 'do_step')
 
         self.m.StubOutWithMock(scheduler.TaskRunner, '_sleep')
+        scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
 
         for t in tasks:
             t.do_step(1).AndReturn(None)
         for t in tasks:
-            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(mox.IsA(int)).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
             t.do_step(2).AndReturn(None)
-            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(mox.IsA(int)).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
             t.do_step(3).AndReturn(None)
 
         self.m.ReplayAll()
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ class DependencyTaskGroupTest(HeatTestCase):
         self.m.StubOutWithMock(scheduler.TaskRunner, '_sleep')
         with self._dep_test(('second', 'first')):
             scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(None).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(None).AndReturn(None)
 
     def test_single_node(self):
         with self._dep_test(('only', None)) as dummy:
@@ -416,6 +417,7 @@ class TaskTest(HeatTestCase):
         task.do_step(2).AndReturn(None)
         scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
         task.do_step(3).AndReturn(None)
+        scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
 
         self.m.ReplayAll()
 
@@ -431,6 +433,7 @@ class TaskTest(HeatTestCase):
         task.do_step(2).AndReturn(None)
         scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(42).AndReturn(None)
         task.do_step(3).AndReturn(None)
+        scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(42).AndReturn(None)
 
         self.m.ReplayAll()
 
@@ -732,13 +735,14 @@ class WrapperTaskTest(HeatTestCase):
             self.m.StubOutWithMock(child_task, 'do_step')
         self.m.StubOutWithMock(scheduler.TaskRunner, '_sleep')
 
+        scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
         for child_task in child_tasks:
             child_task.do_step(1).AndReturn(None)
-            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(mox.IsA(int)).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
             child_task.do_step(2).AndReturn(None)
-            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(mox.IsA(int)).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
             child_task.do_step(3).AndReturn(None)
-            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(mox.IsA(int)).AndReturn(None)
+            scheduler.TaskRunner._sleep(1).AndReturn(None)
 
         self.m.ReplayAll()