diff --git a/src/env_vars.py b/src/env_vars.py
index c1bf5a64..e1e99159 100644
--- a/src/env_vars.py
+++ b/src/env_vars.py
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ GATEWAY = get_env_var("GATEWAY", "172.18.0.1")
 DEFAULT_PUBSUBTOPIC = get_env_var("DEFAULT_PUBSUBTOPIC", "/waku/2/default-waku/proto")
 PROTOCOL = get_env_var("PROTOCOL", "REST")
 RUNNING_IN_CI = get_env_var("CI")
+NODEKEY = get_env_var("NODEKEY", "30348dd51465150e04a5d9d932c72864c8967f806cce60b5d26afeca1e77eb68")
diff --git a/src/steps/relay.py b/src/steps/relay.py
index 3b96db47..a21cec5e 100644
--- a/src/steps/relay.py
+++ b/src/steps/relay.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import pytest
 import allure
 from src.libs.common import to_base64, delay
 from src.data_classes import message_rpc_response_schema
-from src.env_vars import NODE_1, NODE_2
+from src.env_vars import NODE_1, NODE_2, NODEKEY
 from src.node.waku_node import WakuNode
 from tenacity import retry, stop_after_delay, wait_fixed
 
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class StepsRelay:
     @pytest.fixture(scope="function", autouse=True)
     def setup_nodes(self, request):
         self.node1 = WakuNode(NODE_1, "node1_" + request.cls.test_id)
-        self.node1.start(relay="true", discv5_discovery="true", peer_exchange="true")
+        self.node1.start(relay="true", discv5_discovery="true", peer_exchange="true", nodekey=NODEKEY)
         enr_uri = self.node1.info()["enrUri"]
         self.node2 = WakuNode(NODE_2, "node2_" + request.cls.test_id)
         self.node2.start(relay="true", discv5_discovery="true", discv5_bootstrap_node=enr_uri, peer_exchange="true")
diff --git a/tests/relay/test_publish.py b/tests/relay/test_publish.py
index c286a73e..3e0e0f1e 100644
--- a/tests/relay/test_publish.py
+++ b/tests/relay/test_publish.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 from src.libs.custom_logger import get_custom_logger
-from time import sleep, time
+from time import time
 from src.libs.common import to_base64
 from src.steps.relay import StepsRelay
 from src.test_data import INVALID_CONTENT_TOPICS, INVALID_PAYLOADS, SAMPLE_INPUTS, SAMPLE_TIMESTAMPS
-import pytest
 
 logger = get_custom_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -194,7 +193,6 @@ class TestRelayPublish(StepsRelay):
         self.test_message["payload"] = to_base64("new payload 2")
         self.check_published_message_reaches_peer(self.test_message)
 
-    @pytest.mark.skip("enrUri resets after node restart and node2 looses connection")
     def test_publish_after_node1_restarts(self):
         self.check_published_message_reaches_peer(self.test_message)
         self.node1.restart()