diff --git a/testing-framework/configs/src/topology/configs/time.rs b/testing-framework/configs/src/topology/configs/time.rs
index fe6a528..3f29c4e 100644
--- a/testing-framework/configs/src/topology/configs/time.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/configs/src/topology/configs/time.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use time::OffsetDateTime;
 
 const DEFAULT_SLOT_TIME: u64 = 1;
 const CONSENSUS_SLOT_TIME_VAR: &str = "CONSENSUS_SLOT_TIME";
-const DEFAULT_NTP_SERVER: &str = "pool.ntp.org";
+const DEFAULT_NTP_SERVER: &str = "pool.ntp.org:123";
 const DEFAULT_NTP_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
 const DEFAULT_NTP_UPDATE_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(16);
 
diff --git a/testing-framework/core/src/nodes/common/node.rs b/testing-framework/core/src/nodes/common/node.rs
index 61206e5..0955d1c 100644
--- a/testing-framework/core/src/nodes/common/node.rs
+++ b/testing-framework/core/src/nodes/common/node.rs
@@ -211,13 +211,13 @@ fn write_deployment_config_if_present(config_path: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
     let config_contents = fs::read_to_string(config_path)?;
     let yaml_value: Value = serde_yaml::from_str(&config_contents).map_err(io::Error::other)?;
 
-    let Some(root) = yaml_value.as_mapping() else {
+    let Value::Mapping(mut root) = yaml_value else {
         return Ok(());
     };
 
     let deployment_key = Value::String("deployment".into());
 
-    let Some(deployment) = root.get(&deployment_key) else {
+    let Some(deployment) = root.remove(&deployment_key) else {
         return Ok(());
     };
 
@@ -226,9 +226,12 @@ fn write_deployment_config_if_present(config_path: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
     };
 
     let deployment_path = config_dir.join("deployment.yaml");
-    let deployment_contents = serde_yaml::to_string(deployment).map_err(io::Error::other)?;
+    let deployment_contents = serde_yaml::to_string(&deployment).map_err(io::Error::other)?;
+    fs::write(deployment_path, deployment_contents)?;
 
-    fs::write(deployment_path, deployment_contents)
+    let updated_config = Value::Mapping(root);
+    let updated_contents = serde_yaml::to_string(&updated_config).map_err(io::Error::other)?;
+    fs::write(config_path, updated_contents)
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn spawn_node_process(