diff --git a/node/test/builder.go b/node/test/builder.go
index ea9a82220..9e5ffc40d 100644
--- a/node/test/builder.go
+++ b/node/test/builder.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	lotusminer "github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/miner"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/node"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/node/modules"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/node/modules/dtypes"
 	testing2 "github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/node/modules/testing"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/node/repo"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/storage/mockstorage"
@@ -403,6 +404,9 @@ func mockSbBuilderOpts(t *testing.T, fullOpts []test.FullNodeOpts, storage []tes
 
 			node.Override(new(ffiwrapper.Verifier), mock.MockVerifier),
 
+			// so that we subscribe to pubsub topics immediately
+			node.Override(new(dtypes.Bootstrapper), dtypes.Bootstrapper(true)),
+
 			genesis,
 
 			fullOpts[i].Opts(fulls),