diff --git a/tests/integration/nodes.nim b/tests/integration/nodes.nim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ef2da05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/nodes.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import std/osproc
+import std/os
+import std/streams
+import std/strutils
+
+const workingDir = currentSourcePath() / ".." / ".." / ".."
+const executable = "build" / "dagger"
+
+proc startNode*(args: openArray[string], debug = false): Process =
+  if debug:
+    result = startProcess(executable, workingDir, args, options={poParentStreams})
+    sleep(1000)
+  else:
+    result = startProcess(executable, workingDir, args)
+    for line in result.outputStream.lines:
+      if line.contains("Started dagger node"):
+        break
+
+proc stop*(node: Process) =
+  node.terminate()
+  discard node.waitForExit()
+  node.close()
diff --git a/tests/testIntegration.nim b/tests/testIntegration.nim
index acfa0c75..9864e22b 100644
--- a/tests/testIntegration.nim
+++ b/tests/testIntegration.nim
@@ -1,32 +1,16 @@
 import std/osproc
-import std/os
-import std/streams
-import std/strutils
 import std/httpclient
 import std/json
 import pkg/asynctest
 import pkg/chronos
-import pkg/stew/byteutils
+import ./integration/nodes
 
 suite "Integration tests":
 
-  let workingDir = currentSourcePath() / ".." / ".."
-
   var node1, node2: Process
   var baseurl1, baseurl2: string
   var client: HttpClient
 
-  proc startNode(args: openArray[string]): Process =
-    result = startProcess("build" / "dagger", workingDir, args)
-    for line in result.outputStream.lines:
-      if line.contains("Started dagger node"):
-        break
-
-  proc stop(node: Process) =
-    node.terminate()
-    discard node.waitForExit()
-    node.close()
-
   setup:
     node1 = startNode ["--api-port=8080", "--udp-port=8090"]
     node2 = startNode ["--api-port=8081", "--udp-port=8091"]