diff --git a/codex/codex.go b/codex/codex.go
index 5373915..b8d9c12 100644
--- a/codex/codex.go
+++ b/codex/codex.go
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ func (node CodexNode) Start() error {
 	}
 
 	_, err := bridge.wait()
-
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/codex/codex_test.go b/codex/codex_test.go
index c72bfae..ae973c2 100644
--- a/codex/codex_test.go
+++ b/codex/codex_test.go
@@ -3,15 +3,8 @@ package codex
 import "testing"
 
 func TestCodexVersion(t *testing.T) {
-	node, err := CodexNew(CodexConfig{
-		DataDir:        t.TempDir(),
-		LogFormat:      LogFormatNoColors,
-		MetricsEnabled: false,
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create Codex node: %v", err)
-	}
-	defer node.Destroy()
+	start := false
+	node := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	version, err := node.Version()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -25,15 +18,8 @@ func TestCodexVersion(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCodexRevision(t *testing.T) {
-	node, err := CodexNew(CodexConfig{
-		DataDir:        t.TempDir(),
-		LogFormat:      LogFormatNoColors,
-		MetricsEnabled: false,
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create Codex node: %v", err)
-	}
-	defer node.Destroy()
+	start := false
+	node := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	revision, err := node.Revision()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -47,7 +33,8 @@ func TestCodexRevision(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCodexRepo(t *testing.T) {
-	node := newCodexNode(t)
+	start := true
+	node := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	repo, err := node.Repo()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -61,7 +48,8 @@ func TestCodexRepo(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSpr(t *testing.T) {
-	node := newCodexNode(t)
+	start := true
+	node := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	spr, err := node.Spr()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -75,7 +63,8 @@ func TestSpr(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPeerId(t *testing.T) {
-	node := newCodexNode(t)
+	start := true
+	node := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	peerId, err := node.PeerId()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/codex/debug_test.go b/codex/debug_test.go
index 9355347..af9d5af 100644
--- a/codex/debug_test.go
+++ b/codex/debug_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestDebug(t *testing.T) {
-	codex := newCodexNode(t)
+	start := true
+	codex := newCodexNode(t, start)
 
 	info, err := codex.Debug()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/codex/testutil.go b/codex/testutil.go
index a05f672..69d4b73 100644
--- a/codex/testutil.go
+++ b/codex/testutil.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-func newCodexNode(t *testing.T) *CodexNode {
+func newCodexNode(t *testing.T, start bool) *CodexNode {
 	node, err := CodexNew(CodexConfig{
 		DataDir:        t.TempDir(),
 		LogFormat:      LogFormatNoColors,
@@ -14,14 +14,18 @@ func newCodexNode(t *testing.T) *CodexNode {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to create Codex node: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	err = node.Start()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to start Codex node: %v", err)
+	if start {
+		err = node.Start()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to start Codex node: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		if err := node.Stop(); err != nil {
-			t.Logf("cleanup codex: %v", err)
+		if start {
+			if err := node.Stop(); err != nil {
+				t.Logf("cleanup codex: %v", err)
+			}
 		}
 
 		if err := node.Destroy(); err != nil {