diff --git a/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim b/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
index ca9f7cb17..6a3af3201 100644
--- a/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
+++ b/tests/wakunode_rest/test_rest_relay.nim
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
   var manager {.threadVar.}: OnchainGroupManager
 
   setup:
-    anvilProc = runAnvil()
-    manager = waitFor setupOnchainGroupManager()
+    anvilProc = runAnvil(stateFile = some(DEFAULT_ANVIL_STATE_PATH))
+    manager = waitFor setupOnchainGroupManager(deployContracts = false)
 
   teardown:
     stopAnvil(anvilProc)
@@ -267,11 +267,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     let manager = cast[OnchainGroupManager](node.wakuRlnRelay.groupManager)
     let idCredentials = generateCredentials()
 
-    try:
-      waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))
-    except Exception, CatchableError:
-      assert false,
-        "exception raised when calling register: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    (waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))).isOkOr:
+      assert false, "Failed to register identity credentials" & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
 
     let rootUpdated = waitFor manager.updateRoots()
     info "Updated root for node", rootUpdated
@@ -518,11 +515,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     let manager = cast[OnchainGroupManager](node.wakuRlnRelay.groupManager)
     let idCredentials = generateCredentials()
 
-    try:
-      waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))
-    except Exception, CatchableError:
-      assert false,
-        "exception raised when calling register: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    (waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))).isOkOr:
+      assert false, "Failed to register identity credentials" & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
 
     let rootUpdated = waitFor manager.updateRoots()
     info "Updated root for node", rootUpdated
@@ -590,11 +584,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     let manager = cast[OnchainGroupManager](node.wakuRlnRelay.groupManager)
     let idCredentials = generateCredentials()
 
-    try:
-      waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))
-    except Exception, CatchableError:
-      assert false,
-        "exception raised when calling register: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    (waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))).isOkOr:
+      assert false, "Failed to register identity credentials" & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
 
     let rootUpdated = waitFor manager.updateRoots()
     info "Updated root for node", rootUpdated
@@ -652,11 +643,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     let manager = cast[OnchainGroupManager](node.wakuRlnRelay.groupManager)
     let idCredentials = generateCredentials()
 
-    try:
-      waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))
-    except Exception, CatchableError:
-      assert false,
-        "exception raised when calling register: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    (waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))).isOkOr:
+      assert false, "Failed to register identity credentials" & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
 
     let rootUpdated = waitFor manager.updateRoots()
     info "Updated root for node", rootUpdated
@@ -727,11 +715,8 @@ suite "Waku v2 Rest API - Relay":
     let manager = cast[OnchainGroupManager](node.wakuRlnRelay.groupManager)
     let idCredentials = generateCredentials()
 
-    try:
-      waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))
-    except Exception, CatchableError:
-      assert false,
-        "exception raised when calling register: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    (waitFor manager.register(idCredentials, UserMessageLimit(20))).isOkOr:
+      assert false, "Failed to register identity credentials" & getCurrentExceptionMsg()
 
     let rootUpdated = waitFor manager.updateRoots()
     info "Updated root for node", rootUpdated