diff --git a/chain/sub/bcast/consistent.go b/chain/sub/bcast/consistent.go
index 89708432c..165476ffb 100644
--- a/chain/sub/bcast/consistent.go
+++ b/chain/sub/bcast/consistent.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type bcastDict struct {
 }
 
 func (bd *bcastDict) load(key []byte) (*blksInfo, bool) {
-	v, ok := bd.m.Load(key)
+	v, ok := bd.m.Load(string(key))
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, ok
 	}
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ func (bd *bcastDict) load(key []byte) (*blksInfo, bool) {
 }
 
 func (bd *bcastDict) store(key []byte, d *blksInfo) {
-	bd.m.Store(key, d)
+	bd.m.Store(string(key), d)
 }
 
 func (bd *bcastDict) blkLen(key []byte) int {
-	v, ok := bd.m.Load(key)
+	v, ok := bd.m.Load(string(key))
 	if !ok {
 		return 0
 	}
diff --git a/chain/sub/bcast/consistent_test.go b/chain/sub/bcast/consistent_test.go
index ca84ab4b1..8beb0574f 100644
--- a/chain/sub/bcast/consistent_test.go
+++ b/chain/sub/bcast/consistent_test.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func testSimpleDelivery(t *testing.T, cb *bcast.ConsistentBCast, epoch abi.Chain
 
 func TestSeveralEpochs(t *testing.T) {
 	cb := bcast.NewConsistentBCast(TEST_DELAY)
-	numEpochs := 5
+	numEpochs := 6
 	wg := new(sync.WaitGroup)
 	wg.Add(numEpochs)
 	for i := 0; i < numEpochs; i++ {
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func TestSeveralEpochs(t *testing.T) {
 		}(i)
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
-	require.Equal(t, cb.Len(), bcast.GcLookback)
+	require.Equal(t, cb.Len(), numEpochs)
 }
 
 // bias is expected to be 0-1