Embodiments for simulating timing-related error conditions in a distributed system, by allowing a user to define a fault map specifying one or more faults to be committed by components in the distributed system. These generated fault events are to be executed in different components of the distributed system in a serialized distributed order. An event injection process delivers the fault map messages to the nodes in the distributed system, and the nodes then execute an operation sequence containing the fault events in the proper order as coordinated by the event injection process. The faults are then committed by the associated components in the nodes. Execution of these fault events occurs before, after or during a regular component procedure or action to simulate the desired timing-related error.