diff --git a/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go b/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
index 21567a0c9c..70c41d791d 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
@@ -154,13 +154,18 @@ type downloadTesterPeer struct {
 	chain *core.BlockChain
 
 	withholdHeaders map[common.Hash]struct{}
+	fakeTD          *big.Int
 }
 
 // Head constructs a function to retrieve a peer's current head hash
 // and total difficulty.
 func (dlp *downloadTesterPeer) Head() (common.Hash, *big.Int, *big.Int) {
 	head := dlp.chain.CurrentBlock()
-	return head.Hash(), dlp.chain.GetTd(head.Hash(), head.Number.Uint64()), new(big.Int).Set(dlp.chain.CurrentBlock().Difficulty)
+	td := dlp.chain.GetTd(head.Hash(), head.Number.Uint64())
+	if dlp.fakeTD != nil {
+		td.Set(dlp.fakeTD)
+	}
+	return head.Hash(), td, new(big.Int).Set(dlp.chain.CurrentBlock().Difficulty)
 }
 
 // SetHead constructs a function to retrieve a peer's current head hash
@@ -992,8 +997,10 @@ func testHighTDStarvationAttack(t *testing.T, protocol uint, mode SyncMode) {
 	defer tester.terminate()
 
 	chain := testChainBase.shorten(1)
-	tester.newPeer("attack", protocol, chain.blocks[1:])
-	if err := tester.sync("attack", big.NewInt(1000000), mode); err != errStallingPeer {
+	dlp := tester.newPeer("attack", protocol, chain.blocks[1:])
+	fakeTD := big.NewInt(1000000)
+	dlp.fakeTD = fakeTD
+	if err := tester.sync("attack", fakeTD, mode); err != errStallingPeer {
 		t.Fatalf("synchronisation error mismatch: have %v, want %v", err, errStallingPeer)
 	}
 }