diff --git a/crates/chaff-machines/src/constant.rs b/crates/chaff-machines/src/constant.rs
index 16744f7..3e05e5c 100644
--- a/crates/chaff-machines/src/constant.rs
+++ b/crates/chaff-machines/src/constant.rs
@@ -20,37 +20,45 @@ use chaff::{
 #[must_use]
 #[expect(clippy::expect_used)]
 pub fn construct() -> Machine {
-    let hundred_ms: Distr = Duration::from_millis(100)
+    let hundred_ms: Distr = Duration::from_millis(100).try_into().expect("valid distr");
+    let long_delay: Distr = Duration::from_micros(u64::MAX)
         .try_into()
-        .expect("constant shouldn't cause validation issue");
-    let max: Distr = Duration::from_nanos(u64::MAX)
-        .try_into()
-        .expect("constant shouldn't cause validation issue");
-    let zero: Distr = Duration::ZERO
-        .try_into()
-        .expect("constant shouldn't cause validation issue");
+        .expect("valid distr");
+    let zero: Distr = Duration::ZERO.try_into().expect("valid distr");
 
     machine! {
         queues: [Some(1), Some(1), Some(1)],
         budget: Absolute(500),
         state init {
-            action: IntegratorAction::BlockOutgoing(max),
+            action: IntegratorAction::BlockOutgoing(long_delay), // block immediately
             transitions: [
-                Event::SendNormal => init,
-                Event::SendBlocked => schedule_release,
-                Event::ReceiveNormal => schedule_release,
+                Event::SendBlocked => schedule_release, // first blocked packet
             ],
         },
-        state do_block {
+        state schedule_release {
+            // schedule a release with a 100ms delay
             action: FrameworkAction::schedule(
-                IntegratorAction::BlockOutgoing(max),
-                1,
-                zero,
+                IntegratorAction::ReleaseBlock,
+                0,
+                hundred_ms,
             ),
             transitions: [
-                Event::QueueFilled(1) => schedule_release,
+                // since we scheduled on a 1 capacity queue, this transition should
+                // happen immediately
+                Event::QueueFilled(0) => blocked,
             ],
         },
+        state blocked {
+            transitions: [
+                Event::QueueEmpty(0) => send_decoy, // no real packet sent
+                Event::SendBlocked => wait,         // real packet sent
+            ]
+        },
+        state wait {
+            transitions: [
+                Event::QueueEmpty(0) => do_block, // wait until release happens
+            ]
+        },
         state send_decoy {
             action: FrameworkAction::schedule(
                 IntegratorAction::SendDecoy,
@@ -58,30 +66,22 @@ pub fn construct() -> Machine {
                 zero,
             ),
             transitions: [
+                // similar trick to schedule_release, this time used to do two actions
+                // in quick succession
                 Event::QueueFilled(2) => do_block,
             ]
         },
-        state schedule_release {
+        state do_block {
             action: FrameworkAction::schedule(
-                IntegratorAction::ReleaseBlock,
-                0,
-                hundred_ms,
+                IntegratorAction::BlockOutgoing(long_delay),
+                1,
+                zero,
             ),
             transitions: [
-                Event::QueueFilled(0) => blocked,
+                // similar trick to send_decoy
+                Event::QueueFilled(1) => schedule_release,
             ],
         },
-        state blocked {
-            transitions: [
-                Event::QueueEmpty(0) => send_decoy,
-                Event::SendBlocked => wait,
-            ]
-        },
-        state wait {
-            transitions: [
-                Event::QueueEmpty(0) => do_block,
-            ]
-        },
     }
-    .expect("predefined machine should be valid")
+    .expect("preconstructed machine should be valid")
 }