diff --git a/tests/key-chain-fixture.cpp b/tests/key-chain-fixture.cpp
index 73e27c4..af62de5 100644
--- a/tests/key-chain-fixture.cpp
+++ b/tests/key-chain-fixture.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,11 @@
 }
 
 Certificate
-KeyChainFixture::makeCert(const Key& key, const std::string& issuer, const Key& signingKey)
+KeyChainFixture::makeCert(const Key& key, const std::string& issuer, const Key& signingKey,
+                          optional<KeyLocator> keyLocator)
 {
+  const Key& signer = signingKey ? signingKey : key;
+
   Certificate cert;
   cert.setName(Name(key.getName())
                .append(issuer)
@@ -62,8 +65,11 @@
   ndn::SignatureInfo info;
   auto now = time::system_clock::now();
   info.setValidityPeriod(ValidityPeriod(now - 30_days, now + 30_days));
+  if (keyLocator) {
+    info.setKeyLocator(*keyLocator);
+  }
 
-  m_keyChain.sign(cert, signingByKey(signingKey ? signingKey : key).setSignatureInfo(info));
+  m_keyChain.sign(cert, signingByKey(signer).setSignatureInfo(info));
   return cert;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/key-chain-fixture.hpp b/tests/key-chain-fixture.hpp
index 7ed405b..9c4c699 100644
--- a/tests/key-chain-fixture.hpp
+++ b/tests/key-chain-fixture.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2020 Regents of the University of California.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2022 Regents of the University of California.
  *
  * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
  *
@@ -50,9 +50,12 @@
    * @param issuer The IssuerId to include in the certificate name
    * @param signingKey The key with which to sign the certificate; if not provided, the
    *                   certificate will be self-signed
+   * @param keyLocator The KeyLocator name in the generated certificate; if nullopt,
+   *                   @p signingKey 's default certificate will be used
    */
   Certificate
-  makeCert(const Key& key, const std::string& issuer, const Key& signingKey = Key());
+  makeCert(const Key& key, const std::string& issuer, const Key& signingKey = Key(),
+           optional<KeyLocator> keyLocator = nullopt);
 
   /**
    * @brief Saves an NDN certificate to a file
diff --git a/tests/unit/security/key-chain.t.cpp b/tests/unit/security/key-chain.t.cpp
index 1e35aef..94e75a0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/security/key-chain.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/security/key-chain.t.cpp
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@
 
   const uint32_t expectedSigType = SignatureTypeTlvValue;
   const bool shouldHaveKeyLocator = true;
-  const optional<KeyLocator> expectedKeyLocator = cert.getName().getPrefix(-2);
+  const optional<KeyLocator> expectedKeyLocator = cert.getName();
 
   bool
   verify(const SigningInfo&) const
diff --git a/tests/unit/security/validator-fixture.cpp b/tests/unit/security/validator-fixture.cpp
index 5d50794..8048fc4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/security/validator-fixture.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/security/validator-fixture.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,12 @@
   processInterest = [this] (const Interest& interest) {
     auto cert = cache.find(interest);
     if (cert != nullptr) {
+      BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE("ValidatorFixture processInterest " << interest << " reply " << cert->getName());
       face.receive(*cert);
     }
+    else {
+      BOOST_TEST_MESSAGE("ValidatorFixture processInterest " << interest << " no reply");
+    }
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/security/validator.t.cpp b/tests/unit/security/validator.t.cpp
index 75ab618..0a45c72 100644
--- a/tests/unit/security/validator.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/security/validator.t.cpp
@@ -262,12 +262,13 @@
     // create another key for the same identity and sign it properly
     Key parentKey = m_keyChain.createKey(subIdentity);
     Key requestedKey = subIdentity.getKey(interest.getName());
-    auto cert = makeCert(requestedKey, "looper", parentKey);
+    auto cert = makeCert(requestedKey, "looper", parentKey, parentKey.getName());
     face.receive(cert);
   };
 
   Data data("/Security/ValidatorFixture/Sub1/Sub2/Data");
-  m_keyChain.sign(data, signingByIdentity(subIdentity));
+  m_keyChain.sign(data, signingByIdentity(subIdentity).setSignatureInfo(
+                        SignatureInfo().setKeyLocator(subIdentity.getDefaultKey().getName())));
 
   validator.setMaxDepth(40);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(validator.getMaxDepth(), 40);
@@ -290,27 +291,23 @@
   auto k2 = m_keyChain.createKey(s1, RsaKeyParams(name::Component("key2")));
   auto k3 = m_keyChain.createKey(s1, RsaKeyParams(name::Component("key3")));
 
-  auto makeCert = [this] (Key& key, const Key& signer) {
-    Certificate request = key.getDefaultCertificate();
-    request.setName(Name(key.getName()).append("looper").appendVersion());
-
-    SignatureInfo info;
-    info.setValidityPeriod(ValidityPeriod(time::system_clock::now() - 100_days,
-                                          time::system_clock::now() + 100_days));
-    m_keyChain.sign(request, signingByKey(signer).setSignatureInfo(info));
-    m_keyChain.addCertificate(key, request);
-
-    cache.insert(request);
+  auto makeLoopCert = [this] (Key& key, const Key& signer) {
+    auto cert = this->makeCert(key, "looper", signer, signer.getName());
+    m_keyChain.setDefaultCertificate(key, cert);
+    cache.insert(cert);
   };
 
-  makeCert(k1, k2);
-  makeCert(k2, k3);
-  makeCert(k3, k1);
+  makeLoopCert(k1, k2);
+  makeLoopCert(k2, k3);
+  makeLoopCert(k3, k1);
 
   Data data("/loop/Data");
   m_keyChain.sign(data, signingByKey(k1));
   VALIDATE_FAILURE(data, "Should fail, as certificate chain loops");
-  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face.sentInterests.size(), 3);
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(face.sentInterests.size(), 3);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face.sentInterests[0].getName(), k1.getDefaultCertificate().getName());
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face.sentInterests[1].getName(), k2.getName());
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face.sentInterests[2].getName(), k3.getName());
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END() // TestValidator