diff --git a/waku/nwaku.go b/waku/nwaku.go
index 5b47b88..6f08b07 100644
--- a/waku/nwaku.go
+++ b/waku/nwaku.go
@@ -1422,7 +1422,15 @@ func StartWakuNode(nodeName string, customCfg *WakuConfig) (*WakuNode, error) {
 
 	var nodeCfg WakuConfig
 	if customCfg == nil {
+		tcpPort, udpPort, err := GetFreePortIfNeeded(0, 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			Error("Failed to allocate unique ports: %v", err)
+			tcpPort, udpPort = 0, 0 // Fallback to OS-assigned ports
+		}
+
 		nodeCfg = DefaultWakuConfig
+		nodeCfg.TcpPort = tcpPort
+		nodeCfg.Discv5UdpPort = udpPort
 	} else {
 		nodeCfg = *customCfg
 	}
diff --git a/waku/peer_connections_test.go b/waku/peer_connections_test.go
index 86a531b..1b3766e 100644
--- a/waku/peer_connections_test.go
+++ b/waku/peer_connections_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package waku
 
 import (
+	"slices"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -11,49 +12,59 @@ import (
 func TestDisconnectPeerNodes(t *testing.T) {
 	Debug("Starting TestDisconnectPeerNodes")
 
-	// Create Node A
 	nodeA, err := StartWakuNode("nodeA", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to start Node A")
 	defer nodeA.StopAndDestroy()
 
-	// Create Node B
 	nodeB, err := StartWakuNode("nodeB", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to start Node B")
 	defer nodeB.StopAndDestroy()
 
-	// Connect Node A to Node B
 	Debug("Connecting Node A to Node B")
 	err = nodeA.ConnectPeer(nodeB)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to connect nodes")
 
-	// Wait for 3 seconds
+	Debug("Verifying connection between Node A and Node B")
+	connectedPeers, err := nodeA.GetConnectedPeers()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get connected peers for Node A")
+	nodeBPeerID, err := nodeB.PeerID()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get PeerID for Node B")
+	require.True(t, slices.Contains(connectedPeers, nodeBPeerID), "Node B should be a peer of Node A before disconnection")
+
 	time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
 
-	// Disconnect Node A from Node B
 	Debug("Disconnecting Node A from Node B")
 	err = nodeA.DisconnectPeer(nodeB)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to disconnect nodes")
+
+	Debug("Verifying disconnection between Node A and Node B")
+	connectedPeers, err = nodeA.GetConnectedPeers()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get connected peers for Node A after disconnection")
+	require.False(t, slices.Contains(connectedPeers, nodeBPeerID), "Node B should no longer be a peer of Node A after disconnection")
+
+	Debug("Test completed successfully: Node B was disconnected from Node A")
 }
 
 func TestConnectMultipleNodesToSingleNode(t *testing.T) {
 	Debug("Starting TestConnectMultipleNodesToSingleNode")
 
-	Debug("Creating 3 nodes")
-	node1, err := StartWakuNode("Node1", nil)
+	Debug("Creating 3 nodes with automatically assigned ports")
+
+	node1, err := StartWakuNode("node1", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to start Node 1")
 	defer func() {
 		Debug("Stopping and destroying Node 1")
 		node1.StopAndDestroy()
 	}()
 
-	node2, err := StartWakuNode("Node2", nil)
+	node2, err := StartWakuNode("node2", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to start Node 2")
 	defer func() {
 		Debug("Stopping and destroying Node 2")
 		node2.StopAndDestroy()
 	}()
 
-	node3, err := StartWakuNode("Node3", nil)
+	node3, err := StartWakuNode("node3", nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to start Node 3")
 	defer func() {
 		Debug("Stopping and destroying Node 3")
@@ -68,5 +79,16 @@ func TestConnectMultipleNodesToSingleNode(t *testing.T) {
 	err = node3.ConnectPeer(node1)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to connect Node 3 to Node 1")
 
-	Debug("Test completed successfully: multiple nodes connected to a single node")
+	Debug("Verifying connected peers for Node 3")
+	connectedPeers, err := node3.GetConnectedPeers()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get connected peers for Node 3")
+	node1PeerID, err := node1.PeerID()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get PeerID for Node 1")
+	node2PeerID, err := node2.PeerID()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to get PeerID for Node 2")
+
+	require.True(t, slices.Contains(connectedPeers, node1PeerID), "Node 1 should be a peer of Node 3")
+	require.True(t, slices.Contains(connectedPeers, node2PeerID), "Node 2 should be a peer of Node 3")
+
+	Debug("Test completed successfully: multiple nodes connected to a single node and verified peers")
 }