diff --git a/itests/kit/ensemble.go b/itests/kit/ensemble.go
index 29b8416cb..956d243a3 100644
--- a/itests/kit/ensemble.go
+++ b/itests/kit/ensemble.go
@@ -462,6 +462,17 @@ func (n *Ensemble) Start() *Ensemble {
 		require.NoError(n.t, err)
 
 		var rpcShutdownOnce sync.Once
+		var stopOnce sync.Once
+		var stopErr error
+
+		stopFunc := stop
+		stop = func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			stopOnce.Do(func() {
+				stopErr = stopFunc(ctx)
+			})
+			return stopErr
+		}
+
 		// Are we hitting this node through its RPC?
 		if full.options.rpc {
 			withRPC, rpcCloser := fullRpc(n.t, full)
@@ -470,12 +481,11 @@ func (n *Ensemble) Start() *Ensemble {
 				rpcShutdownOnce.Do(rpcCloser)
 				return stop(ctx)
 			}
-			//n.t.Cleanup(func() { rpcShutdownOnce.Do(rpcCloser) })
+			n.t.Cleanup(func() { rpcShutdownOnce.Do(rpcCloser) })
 		}
 
 		n.t.Cleanup(func() {
 			_ = stop(context.Background())
-
 		})
 
 		n.active.fullnodes = append(n.active.fullnodes, full)
diff --git a/itests/kit/rpc.go b/itests/kit/rpc.go
index 86d052e17..684742ad3 100644
--- a/itests/kit/rpc.go
+++ b/itests/kit/rpc.go
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ func fullRpc(t *testing.T, f *TestFullNode) (*TestFullNode, Closer) {
 
 	cl, stop, err := client.NewFullNodeRPCV1(context.Background(), "ws://"+srv.Listener.Addr().String()+"/rpc/v1", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	t.Cleanup(stop)
 	f.ListenAddr, f.ListenURL, f.FullNode = maddr, srv.URL, cl
 
 	return f, func() { stop(); rpcCloser() }