diff --git a/curator-test/src/main/java/org/apache/curator/test/TestingZooKeeperMain.java b/curator-test/src/main/java/org/apache/curator/test/TestingZooKeeperMain.java
index cdf59d07be..4c7bec66a2 100644
--- a/curator-test/src/main/java/org/apache/curator/test/TestingZooKeeperMain.java
+++ b/curator-test/src/main/java/org/apache/curator/test/TestingZooKeeperMain.java
@@ -271,6 +271,8 @@ public TestZooKeeperServer(FileTxnSnapLog txnLog, ServerConfig config)
         {
             this.txnLog = txnLog;
             this.setTxnLogFactory(txnLog);
+            // tickTime would affect min and max session timeout: should be set first
+            this.setTickTime(config.getTickTime());
             this.setMinSessionTimeout(config.getMinSessionTimeout());
             this.setMaxSessionTimeout(config.getMaxSessionTimeout());
         }