diff --git a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/bin/run_consensus.rs b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/bin/run_consensus.rs
index 85c18a71c1..99c9bd6cc7 100644
--- a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/bin/run_consensus.rs
+++ b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/bin/run_consensus.rs
@@ -93,6 +93,61 @@ impl Node {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(name = "Papyrus CLI")]
+struct Cli {
+    #[command(flatten)]
+    papyrus_args: PapyrusArgs,
+    #[command(flatten)]
+    run_consensus_args: RunConsensusArgs,
+}
+
+#[derive(Parser)]
+// Args passed to the test script that are forwarded to the node.
+struct PapyrusArgs {
+    #[arg(long = "base_layer_node_url")]
+    base_layer_node_url: String,
+    #[arg(long = "num_validators")]
+    num_validators: usize,
+    #[arg(long = "db_dir", help = "Directory with existing DBs that this simulation can reuse.")]
+    db_dir: Option<String>,
+    #[arg(long = "proposal_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a proposal.")]
+    proposal_timeout: Option<f64>,
+    #[arg(long = "prevote_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a prevote.")]
+    prevote_timeout: Option<f64>,
+    #[arg(long = "precommit_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a precommit.")]
+    precommit_timeout: Option<f64>,
+    #[arg(long = "cache_size", help = "Cache size for the test simulation.")]
+    cache_size: Option<usize>,
+    #[arg(long = "random_seed", help = "Random seed for test simulation.")]
+    random_seed: Option<u64>,
+    #[arg(
+        long = "drop_probability",
+        help = "Probability of dropping a message for test simulation."
+    )]
+    drop_probability: Option<f64>,
+    #[arg(
+        long = "invalid_probability",
+        help = "Probability of sending an invalid message for test simulation."
+    )]
+    invalid_probability: Option<f64>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Parser)]
+// Args passed to the script that are not forwarded to the node.
+struct RunConsensusArgs {
+    #[arg(
+        long = "stagnation_threshold",
+        help = "Time in seconds to check for height stagnation.",
+        default_value = "60", value_parser = parse_duration
+    )]
+    stagnation_threshold: Duration,
+    #[arg(long = "duration", help = "Maximum test duration in seconds.", 
+    default_value = "123456789123456789", 
+    value_parser = parse_duration)]
+    max_test_duration: Duration,
+}
+
 struct LockDir {
     file: File,
 }
@@ -115,6 +170,11 @@ impl Drop for LockDir {
     }
 }
 
+fn parse_duration(s: &str) -> Result<Duration, std::num::ParseIntError> {
+    let secs = u64::from_str(s)?;
+    Ok(Duration::from_secs(secs))
+}
+
 fn find_free_port() -> u16 {
     // The socket is automatically closed when the function exits.
     // The port may still be available when accessed, but this is not guaranteed.
@@ -141,10 +201,13 @@ async fn monitor_simulation(
             "Node: {}, height: {:?}, sync_count: {:?}",
             node.validator_id, height, node.sync_count
         );
-        if let (Some(_), Some(last_update)) = (height, last_update) {
-            if last_update.elapsed() > stagnation_timeout {
-                stagnated_nodes.push(node.validator_id);
-            }
+        // height is None when consensus has not been started yet.
+        let elapsed = match height {
+            Some(_) => last_update.expect("Must be set if height is set").elapsed(),
+            None => start_time.elapsed(),
+        };
+        if elapsed > stagnation_timeout {
+            stagnated_nodes.push(node.validator_id);
         }
     }
 
@@ -267,66 +330,6 @@ async fn build_all_nodes(data_dir: &str, logs_dir: &str, papyrus_args: &PapyrusA
     nodes
 }
 
-#[derive(Parser)]
-#[command(name = "Papyrus CLI")]
-struct Cli {
-    #[command(flatten)]
-    papyrus_args: PapyrusArgs,
-    #[command(flatten)]
-    run_consensus_args: RunConsensusArgs,
-}
-
-#[derive(Parser)]
-// Args passed to the test script that are forwarded to the node.
-struct PapyrusArgs {
-    #[arg(long = "base_layer_node_url")]
-    base_layer_node_url: String,
-    #[arg(long = "num_validators")]
-    num_validators: usize,
-    #[arg(long = "db_dir", help = "Directory with existing DBs that this simulation can reuse.")]
-    db_dir: Option<String>,
-    #[arg(long = "proposal_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a proposal.")]
-    proposal_timeout: Option<f64>,
-    #[arg(long = "prevote_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a prevote.")]
-    prevote_timeout: Option<f64>,
-    #[arg(long = "precommit_timeout", help = "The timeout (seconds) for a precommit.")]
-    precommit_timeout: Option<f64>,
-    #[arg(long = "cache_size", help = "Cache size for the test simulation.")]
-    cache_size: Option<usize>,
-    #[arg(long = "random_seed", help = "Random seed for test simulation.")]
-    random_seed: Option<u64>,
-    #[arg(
-        long = "drop_probability",
-        help = "Probability of dropping a message for test simulation."
-    )]
-    drop_probability: Option<f64>,
-    #[arg(
-        long = "invalid_probability",
-        help = "Probability of sending an invalid message for test simulation."
-    )]
-    invalid_probability: Option<f64>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Parser)]
-// Args passed to the script that are not forwarded to the node.
-struct RunConsensusArgs {
-    #[arg(
-        long = "stagnation_threshold",
-        help = "Time in seconds to check for height stagnation.",
-        default_value = "60", value_parser = parse_duration
-    )]
-    stagnation_threshold: Duration,
-    #[arg(long = "duration", help = "Maximum test duration in seconds.", 
-    default_value = "123456789123456789", 
-    value_parser = parse_duration)]
-    max_test_duration: Duration,
-}
-
-fn parse_duration(s: &str) -> Result<Duration, std::num::ParseIntError> {
-    let secs = u64::from_str(s)?;
-    Ok(Duration::from_secs(secs))
-}
-
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() {
     let Cli { papyrus_args, run_consensus_args } = Cli::parse();