diff --git a/app/test/testnode_test.go b/app/test/testnode_test.go
index 4de6086527..90046dad09 100644
--- a/app/test/testnode_test.go
+++ b/app/test/testnode_test.go
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc/connectivity"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
 )
 
 func Test_testnode(t *testing.T) {
@@ -20,37 +18,18 @@ func Test_testnode(t *testing.T) {
 		testnode.NewNetwork(t, testnode.DefaultConfig())
 	})
 	t.Run("testnode can start with a custom MinGasPrice", func(t *testing.T) {
+		want := "0.003utia"
 		appConfig := testnode.DefaultAppConfig()
-		appConfig.MinGasPrices = "0.003utia"
-
+		appConfig.MinGasPrices = want
 		config := testnode.DefaultConfig().WithAppConfig(appConfig)
-		cctx, _, grpcAddr := testnode.NewNetwork(t, config)
-
-		grpcConn := createGrpcConnection(t, cctx.GoContext(), grpcAddr)
-		got, err := queryMinimumGasPrice(cctx.GoContext(), grpcConn)
+		cctx, _, _ := testnode.NewNetwork(t, config)
+		got, err := queryMinimumGasPrice(cctx.GoContext(), cctx.GRPCClient)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, float64(0.003), got)
 	})
 }
 
-func createGrpcConnection(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, grpcAddr string) *grpc.ClientConn {
-	client, err := grpc.NewClient(
-		grpcAddr,
-		grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	// this ensures we can't start the node without core connection
-	client.Connect()
-	if !client.WaitForStateChange(ctx, connectivity.Ready) {
-		// hits the case when context is canceled
-		t.Fatalf("couldn't connect to core endpoint(%s): %v", grpcAddr, ctx.Err())
-	}
-	return client
-}
-
 func queryMinimumGasPrice(ctx context.Context, grpcConn *grpc.ClientConn) (float64, error) {
-
 	cfgRsp, err := nodeservice.NewServiceClient(grpcConn).Config(ctx, &nodeservice.ConfigRequest{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err