diff --git a/test/api/unit/libs/cron.test.js b/test/api/unit/libs/cron.test.js
index eb15119ee1..2b177b6f2e 100644
--- a/test/api/unit/libs/cron.test.js
+++ b/test/api/unit/libs/cron.test.js
@@ -231,13 +231,16 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         },
       });
       // user1 has a 1-month recurring subscription starting today
-      user1.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
-      user1.purchased.plan.dateUpdated = moment().toDate();
-      user1.purchased.plan.planId = 'basic';
-      user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.count = 0;
-      user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset = 0;
-      user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets = 0;
-      user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 0;
+      beforeEach(async () => {
+        user1.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
+        user1.purchased.plan.dateUpdated = moment().toDate();
+        user1.purchased.plan.planId = 'basic';
+        user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.count = 0;
+        user1.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = 0;
+        user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset = 0;
+        user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets = 0;
+        user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 0;
+      });
 
       it('does not increment consecutive benefits after the first month', async () => {
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(1, 'months')
@@ -271,6 +274,24 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.equal(0);
       });
 
+      it('increments consecutive benefits after the second month if they also received a 1 month gift subscription', async () => {
+        user1.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = 1;
+        clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(2, 'months')
+          .add(2, 'days')
+          .toDate());
+        // Add 1 month to simulate what happens a month after the subscription was created.
+        // Add 2 days so that we're sure we're not affected by any start-of-month effects
+        // e.g., from time zone oddness.
+        await cron({
+          user: user1, tasksByType, daysMissed, analytics,
+        });
+        expect(user1.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.equal(0);
+        expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.count).to.equal(2);
+        expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset).to.equal(0);
+        expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets).to.equal(1);
+        expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.equal(5);
+      });
+
       it('increments consecutive benefits after the third month', async () => {
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(3, 'months')
           .add(2, 'days')
@@ -315,6 +336,26 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets).to.equal(3);
         expect(user1.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.equal(15);
       });
+
+      it('initialized plan.perkMonthCount if necessary', async () => {
+        user.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = undefined;
+        clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(1, 'months')
+          .add(2, 'days')
+          .toDate());
+        await cron({
+          user, tasksByType, daysMissed, analytics,
+        });
+        expect(user.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.equal(1);
+        user.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = undefined;
+        clock.restore();
+        clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(2, 'months')
+          .add(2, 'days')
+          .toDate());
+        await cron({
+          user, tasksByType, daysMissed, analytics,
+        });
+        expect(user.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.equal(2);
+      });
     });
 
     describe('for a 3-month recurring subscription', async () => {
@@ -330,13 +371,16 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         },
       });
       // user3 has a 3-month recurring subscription starting today
-      user3.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
-      user3.purchased.plan.dateUpdated = moment().toDate();
-      user3.purchased.plan.planId = 'basic_3mo';
-      user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.count = 0;
-      user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset = 3;
-      user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets = 1;
-      user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 5;
+      beforeEach(async () => {
+        user3.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
+        user3.purchased.plan.dateUpdated = moment().toDate();
+        user3.purchased.plan.planId = 'basic_3mo';
+        user3.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = 0;
+        user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.count = 0;
+        user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset = 3;
+        user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets = 1;
+        user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 5;
+      });
 
       it('does not increment consecutive benefits in the first month of the first paid period that they already have benefits for', async () => {
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(1, 'months')
@@ -390,6 +434,17 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         expect(user3.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.equal(10);
       });
 
+      it('keeps existing plan.perkMonthCount intact when incrementing consecutive benefits', async () => {
+        user3.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = 2
+        clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(4, 'months')
+          .add(2, 'days')
+          .toDate());
+        await cron({
+          user: user3, tasksByType, daysMissed, analytics,
+        });
+        expect(user3.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.equal(2);
+      });
+
       it('does not increment consecutive benefits in the second month of the second period that they already have benefits for', async () => {
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(5, 'months')
           .add(2, 'days')
@@ -417,6 +472,7 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
       });
 
       it('increments consecutive benefits the month after the third paid period has started', async () => {
+        console.log(user3.purchased.plan);
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(7, 'months')
           .add(2, 'days')
           .toDate());
@@ -456,13 +512,15 @@ describe('cron', async () => {
         },
       });
       // user6 has a 6-month recurring subscription starting today
-      user6.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
+      beforeEach(async () => {
+        user6.purchased.plan.customerId = 'subscribedId';
       user6.purchased.plan.dateUpdated = moment().toDate();
       user6.purchased.plan.planId = 'google_6mo';
       user6.purchased.plan.consecutive.count = 0;
       user6.purchased.plan.consecutive.offset = 6;
       user6.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets = 2;
       user6.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 10;
+      });
 
       it('does not increment consecutive benefits in the first month of the first paid period that they already have benefits for', async () => {
         clock = sinon.useFakeTimers(moment().utcOffset(0).startOf('month').add(1, 'months')
diff --git a/test/api/unit/libs/payments/payments.test.js b/test/api/unit/libs/payments/payments.test.js
index 3ffd1230e4..22728c21a1 100644
--- a/test/api/unit/libs/payments/payments.test.js
+++ b/test/api/unit/libs/payments/payments.test.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 import * as worldState from '../../../../../website/server/libs/worldState';
 import { TransactionModel } from '../../../../../website/server/models/transaction';
 
-describe.only('payments/index', () => {
+describe('payments/index', () => {
   let user;
   let group;
   let data;
@@ -270,6 +270,8 @@ describe.only('payments/index', () => {
         data.gift.subscription.months = 1;
         
         expect(recipient.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.eql(2);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets).to.eql(0);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.eql(0);
         await api.createSubscription(data);
 
         expect(recipient.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.eql(0);
@@ -277,6 +279,21 @@ describe.only('payments/index', () => {
         expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.eql(5);
       });
 
+      it('awards perks if plan.perkMonthCount goes over 3', async () => {
+        recipient.purchased.plan = plan;
+        recipient.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount = 2;
+        data.sub.key = 'basic_earned';
+        
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.eql(2);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets).to.eql(0);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.eql(0);
+        await api.createSubscription(data);
+
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.eql(2);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.trinkets).to.eql(1);
+        expect(recipient.purchased.plan.consecutive.gemCapExtra).to.eql(5);
+      });
+
       it('sets plan.customerId to "Gift" if it does not already exist', async () => {
         expect(recipient.purchased.plan.customerId).to.not.exist;
 
@@ -443,6 +460,7 @@ describe.only('payments/index', () => {
         expect(user.purchased.plan.customerId).to.eql('customer-id');
         expect(user.purchased.plan.dateUpdated).to.exist;
         expect(user.purchased.plan.gemsBought).to.eql(0);
+        expect(user.purchased.plan.perkMonthCount).to.eql(0);
         expect(user.purchased.plan.paymentMethod).to.eql('Payment Method');
         expect(user.purchased.plan.extraMonths).to.eql(0);
         expect(user.purchased.plan.dateTerminated).to.eql(null);
diff --git a/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js b/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
index f9a160326c..859cd1c76e 100644
--- a/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
+++ b/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ async function createSubscription (data) {
     if (!data.gift && !groupId) {
       plan.consecutive.offset = months;
     }
-    console.log("giving benes");
     await plan.incrementPerkCounterAndReward(recipient._id, months);
   }
 
diff --git a/website/server/models/subscriptionPlan.js b/website/server/models/subscriptionPlan.js
index db4c39725b..a4f6b7ec81 100644
--- a/website/server/models/subscriptionPlan.js
+++ b/website/server/models/subscriptionPlan.js
@@ -53,11 +53,17 @@ schema.plugin(baseModel, {
 schema.methods.incrementPerkCounterAndReward = async function incrementPerkCounterAndReward
 (userID, adding) {
   // if perkMonthCount wasn't used before, initialize it.
-  if (!this.perkMonthCount) this.perkMonthCount = this.consecutive.count % SUBSCRIPTION_BASIC_BLOCK_LENGTH;
-  this.perkMonthCount += adding;
+  if (this.perkMonthCount == undefined && adding == 1) {
+    this.perkMonthCount = (this.consecutive.count-1) % SUBSCRIPTION_BASIC_BLOCK_LENGTH;
+    console.log(`initializing perk count with ${this.perkMonthCount}`);
+  } else {
+    this.perkMonthCount += adding;
+  }
+  console.log(this.perkMonthCount);
 
   const perks = Math.floor(this.perkMonthCount / 3);
   if (perks > 0) {
+    console.log(`giving benefits for ${perks} from ${this.perkMonthCount}, ${adding}`);
     this.consecutive.gemCapExtra += 5 * perks; // 5 extra Gems every 3 months
     // cap it at 50 (hard 25 limit + extra 25)
     if (this.consecutive.gemCapExtra > 25) this.consecutive.gemCapExtra = 25;