attempt to fix flaky test (#7008)

Signed-off-by: Sally MacFarlane <macfarla.github@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Simon Dudley <simon.dudley@consensys.net>

acceptance-tests/tests/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/tests/acceptance/permissioning/NodeSmartContractPermissioningOutOfSyncAcceptanceTest.java

@@ -46,14 +46,18 @@ public class NodeSmartContractPermissioningOutOfSyncAcceptanceTest
     final long blockchainHeight = 25L;
     waitForBlockHeight(permissionedNodeA, blockchainHeight);
 
-    // Add Node B
+    // verify Node A is in sync with bootnode
+    final var minerChainHead = bootnode.execute(ethTransactions.block());
+    permissionedNodeA.verify(blockchain.minimumHeight(minerChainHead.getNumber().longValue()));
+
+    // check that connection is forbidden (before node b is permitted)
     permissionedCluster.addNode(permissionedNodeB);
+    permissionedNodeB.verify(connectionIsForbidden(permissionedNodeA, permissionedNodeB));
+
+    // Permit Node B
     permissionedNodeA.execute(allowNode(permissionedNodeB));
     permissionedNodeA.verify(admin.addPeer(permissionedNodeB));
 
-    // check that connection is forbidden (while node b is syncing)
-    permissionedNodeB.verify(connectionIsForbidden(permissionedNodeA, permissionedNodeB));
-
     // connection should be allowed after node B syncs
     waitForBlockHeight(permissionedNodeB, blockchainHeight);
     permissionedNodeB.verify(connectionIsAllowed(permissionedNodeA, permissionedNodeB));