diff --git a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
index 0848f1118f..8e96836b70 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
@@ -3631,35 +3631,28 @@ class TestScheduler(ZuulTestCase):
 
     def test_reconfigure_merge(self):
         """Test that two reconfigure events are merged"""
+        # Wrap the recofiguration handler so we can count how many
+        # times it runs.
+        with mock.patch.object(
+                zuul.scheduler.Scheduler, '_doTenantReconfigureEvent',
+                wraps=self.scheds.first.sched._doTenantReconfigureEvent
+        ) as mymock:
+            with self.scheds.first.sched.run_handler_lock:
+                self.create_branch('org/project', 'stable/diablo')
+                self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(
+                    self.fake_gerrit.getFakeBranchCreatedEvent(
+                        'org/project', 'stable/diablo'))
+                self.create_branch('org/project', 'stable/essex')
+                self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(
+                    self.fake_gerrit.getFakeBranchCreatedEvent(
+                        'org/project', 'stable/essex'))
+                for _ in iterate_timeout(60, 'jobs started'):
+                    if len(self.scheds.first.sched.trigger_events[
+                            'tenant-one']) == 2:
+                        break
 
-        tenant = self.scheds.first.sched.abide.tenants['tenant-one']
-        (trusted, project) = tenant.getProject('org/project')
-
-        management_queue = self.scheds.first.sched.management_events[
-            'tenant-one']
-
-        with self.scheds.first.sched.run_handler_lock:
-            mgmt_queue_size = len(management_queue)
-            self.assertEqual(mgmt_queue_size, 0)
-
-            self.scheds.first.sched.reconfigureTenant(tenant, project, None)
-            mgmt_queue_size = len(management_queue)
-            self.assertEqual(mgmt_queue_size, 1)
-
-            self.scheds.first.sched.reconfigureTenant(tenant, project, None)
-            mgmt_queue_size = len(management_queue)
-            self.assertEqual(mgmt_queue_size, 2)
-
-            # The second event should be combined with the first so we should
-            # only see the merged entry when consuming from the queue.
-            mgmt_events = list(management_queue)
-            self.assertEqual(len(mgmt_events), 1)
-            self.assertEqual(len(mgmt_events[0].merged_events), 1)
-
-        self.waitUntilSettled()
-
-        mgmt_queue_size = len(management_queue)
-        self.assertEqual(mgmt_queue_size, 0)
+            self.waitUntilSettled()
+            mymock.assert_called_once()
 
     def test_live_reconfiguration(self):
         "Test that live reconfiguration works"
diff --git a/zuul/model.py b/zuul/model.py
index d65a9f3e72..6b5061f6a4 100644
--- a/zuul/model.py
+++ b/zuul/model.py
@@ -5548,7 +5548,7 @@ class TenantReconfigureEvent(ManagementEvent):
         if self.tenant_name != other.tenant_name:
             raise Exception("Can not merge events from different tenants")
         self.project_branches |= other.project_branches
-        for connection_name, ltime in other.branch_cache_ltimes:
+        for connection_name, ltime in other.branch_cache_ltimes.items():
             self.branch_cache_ltimes[connection_name] = max(
                 self.branch_cache_ltimes.get(connection_name, ltime), ltime)
         self.zuul_event_ltime = max(self.zuul_event_ltime,
diff --git a/zuul/zk/event_queues.py b/zuul/zk/event_queues.py
index 3f8453e732..23e9be31f3 100644
--- a/zuul/zk/event_queues.py
+++ b/zuul/zk/event_queues.py
@@ -560,8 +560,11 @@ class ManagementEventQueue(ZooKeeperEventQueue):
             if event.zuul_event_ltime is None:
                 event.zuul_event_ltime = zstat.creation_transaction_id
 
-            with suppress(ValueError):
+            try:
                 other_event = event_list[event_list.index(event)]
+            except ValueError:
+                other_event = None
+            if other_event:
                 if isinstance(other_event, model.TenantReconfigureEvent):
                     other_event.merge(event)
                     continue