diff --git a/test/functional/zmq_test.py b/test/functional/zmq_test.py
index 382ef5bae..165f9192d 100755
--- a/test/functional/zmq_test.py
+++ b/test/functional/zmq_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2015-2016 The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 # file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
-"""Test the ZMQ API."""
+"""Test the ZMQ notification interface."""
 import configparser
 import os
 import struct
@@ -13,6 +13,25 @@ from test_framework.util import (assert_equal,
                                  hash256,
                                 )
 
+class ZMQSubscriber:
+    def __init__(self, socket, topic):
+        self.sequence = 0
+        self.socket = socket
+        self.topic = topic
+
+        import zmq
+        self.socket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, self.topic)
+
+    def receive(self):
+        topic, body, seq = self.socket.recv_multipart()
+        # Topic should match the subscriber topic.
+        assert_equal(topic, self.topic)
+        # Sequence should be incremental.
+        assert_equal(struct.unpack('<I', seq)[-1], self.sequence)
+        self.sequence += 1
+        return body
+
+
 class ZMQTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
     def set_test_params(self):
         self.num_nodes = 2
@@ -24,26 +43,33 @@ class ZMQTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         except ImportError:
             raise SkipTest("python3-zmq module not available.")
 
-        # Check that bitcoin has been built with ZMQ enabled
+        # Check that bitcoin has been built with ZMQ enabled.
         config = configparser.ConfigParser()
         if not self.options.configfile:
-            self.options.configfile = os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/../config.ini"
+            self.options.configfile = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../config.ini"))
         config.read_file(open(self.options.configfile))
 
         if not config["components"].getboolean("ENABLE_ZMQ"):
             raise SkipTest("bitcoind has not been built with zmq enabled.")
 
-        self.zmqContext = zmq.Context()
-        self.zmqSubSocket = self.zmqContext.socket(zmq.SUB)
-        self.zmqSubSocket.set(zmq.RCVTIMEO, 60000)
-        self.zmqSubSocket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, b"hashblock")
-        self.zmqSubSocket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, b"hashtx")
-        self.zmqSubSocket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, b"rawblock")
-        self.zmqSubSocket.setsockopt(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, b"rawtx")
-        ip_address = "tcp://127.0.0.1:28332"
-        self.zmqSubSocket.connect(ip_address)
-        self.extra_args = [['-zmqpubhashblock=%s' % ip_address, '-zmqpubhashtx=%s' % ip_address,
-                       '-zmqpubrawblock=%s' % ip_address, '-zmqpubrawtx=%s' % ip_address], []]
+        # Initialize ZMQ context and socket.
+        # All messages are received in the same socket which means
+        # that this test fails if the publishing order changes.
+        # Note that the publishing order is not defined in the documentation and
+        # is subject to change.
+        address = "tcp://127.0.0.1:28332"
+        self.zmq_context = zmq.Context()
+        socket = self.zmq_context.socket(zmq.SUB)
+        socket.set(zmq.RCVTIMEO, 60000)
+        socket.connect(address)
+
+        # Subscribe to all available topics.
+        self.hashblock = ZMQSubscriber(socket, b"hashblock")
+        self.hashtx = ZMQSubscriber(socket, b"hashtx")
+        self.rawblock = ZMQSubscriber(socket, b"rawblock")
+        self.rawtx = ZMQSubscriber(socket, b"rawtx")
+
+        self.extra_args = [["-zmqpub%s=%s" % (sub.topic.decode(), address) for sub in [self.hashblock, self.hashtx, self.rawblock, self.rawtx]], []]
         self.add_nodes(self.num_nodes, self.extra_args)
         self.start_nodes()
 
@@ -51,103 +77,45 @@ class ZMQTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self._zmq_test()
         finally:
-            # Destroy the zmq context
-            self.log.debug("Destroying zmq context")
-            self.zmqContext.destroy(linger=None)
+            # Destroy the ZMQ context.
+            self.log.debug("Destroying ZMQ context")
+            self.zmq_context.destroy(linger=None)
 
     def _zmq_test(self):
-        genhashes = self.nodes[0].generate(1)
+        num_blocks = 5
+        self.log.info("Generate %(n)d blocks (and %(n)d coinbase txes)" % {"n": num_blocks})
+        genhashes = self.nodes[0].generate(num_blocks)
         self.sync_all()
 
-        self.log.info("Wait for tx")
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"hashtx")
-        txhash = msg[1]
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, 0)  # must be sequence 0 on hashtx
-
-        # rawtx
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"rawtx")
-        body = msg[1]
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, 0) # must be sequence 0 on rawtx
-
-        # Check that the rawtx hashes to the hashtx
-        assert_equal(hash256(body), txhash)
-
-        self.log.info("Wait for block")
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"hashblock")
-        body = msg[1]
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, 0)  # must be sequence 0 on hashblock
-        blkhash = bytes_to_hex_str(body)
-        assert_equal(genhashes[0], blkhash)  # blockhash from generate must be equal to the hash received over zmq
-
-        # rawblock
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"rawblock")
-        body = msg[1]
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, 0) #must be sequence 0 on rawblock
-
-        # Check the hash of the rawblock's header matches generate
-        assert_equal(genhashes[0], bytes_to_hex_str(hash256(body[:80])))
-
-        self.log.info("Generate 10 blocks (and 10 coinbase txes)")
-        n = 10
-        genhashes = self.nodes[1].generate(n)
-        self.sync_all()
+        for x in range(num_blocks):
+            # Should receive the coinbase txid.
+            txid = self.hashtx.receive()
+
+            # Should receive the coinbase raw transaction.
+            hex = self.rawtx.receive()
+            assert_equal(hash256(hex), txid)
 
-        zmqHashes = []
-        zmqRawHashed = []
-        blockcount = 0
-        for x in range(n * 4):
-            msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-            topic = msg[0]
-            body = msg[1]
-            if topic == b"hashblock":
-                zmqHashes.append(bytes_to_hex_str(body))
-                msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-                assert_equal(msgSequence, blockcount + 1)
-                blockcount += 1
-            if topic == b"rawblock":
-                zmqRawHashed.append(bytes_to_hex_str(hash256(body[:80])))
-                msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-                assert_equal(msgSequence, blockcount)
-
-        for x in range(n):
-            assert_equal(genhashes[x], zmqHashes[x])  # blockhash from generate must be equal to the hash received over zmq
-            assert_equal(genhashes[x], zmqRawHashed[x])
+            # Should receive the generated block hash.
+            hash = bytes_to_hex_str(self.hashblock.receive())
+            assert_equal(genhashes[x], hash)
+            # The block should only have the coinbase txid.
+            assert_equal([bytes_to_hex_str(txid)], self.nodes[1].getblock(hash)["tx"])
+
+            # Should receive the generated raw block.
+            block = self.rawblock.receive()
+            assert_equal(genhashes[x], bytes_to_hex_str(hash256(block[:80])))
 
         self.log.info("Wait for tx from second node")
-        # test tx from a second node
-        hashRPC = self.nodes[1].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[0].getnewaddress(), 1.0)
+        payment_txid = self.nodes[1].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[0].getnewaddress(), 1.0)
         self.sync_all()
 
-        # now we should receive a zmq msg because the tx was broadcast
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"hashtx")
-        body = msg[1]
-        hashZMQ = bytes_to_hex_str(body)
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, blockcount + 1)
-
-        msg = self.zmqSubSocket.recv_multipart()
-        topic = msg[0]
-        assert_equal(topic, b"rawtx")
-        body = msg[1]
-        hashedZMQ = bytes_to_hex_str(hash256(body))
-        msgSequence = struct.unpack('<I', msg[-1])[-1]
-        assert_equal(msgSequence, blockcount+1)
-        assert_equal(hashRPC, hashZMQ)  # txid from sendtoaddress must be equal to the hash received over zmq
-        assert_equal(hashRPC, hashedZMQ)
+        # Should receive the broadcasted txid.
+        txid = self.hashtx.receive()
+        assert_equal(payment_txid, bytes_to_hex_str(txid))
+
+        # Should receive the broadcasted raw transaction.
+        hex = self.rawtx.receive()
+        assert_equal(payment_txid, bytes_to_hex_str(hash256(hex)))
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     ZMQTest().main()