diff --git a/consensus/byzantine_test.go b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
index 989103cce..396c8c074 100644
--- a/consensus/byzantine_test.go
+++ b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ func TestByzantine(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	reactors := make([]p2p.Reactor, N)
+	defer func() {
+		for _, r := range reactors {
+			if rr, ok := r.(*ByzantineReactor); ok {
+				rr.reactor.Switch.Stop()
+			} else {
+				r.(*ConsensusReactor).Switch.Stop()
+			}
+		}
+	}()
 	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, N)
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
 		if i == 0 {
diff --git a/consensus/reactor_test.go b/consensus/reactor_test.go
index 6b52e6308..ae6a6fc49 100644
--- a/consensus/reactor_test.go
+++ b/consensus/reactor_test.go
@@ -21,10 +21,7 @@ func init() {
 //----------------------------------------------
 // in-process testnets
 
-// Ensure a testnet makes blocks
-func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
-	N := 4
-	css := randConsensusNet(N, "consensus_reactor_test", newMockTickerFunc(true), newCounter)
+func startConsensusNet(t *testing.T, css []*ConsensusState, N int, subscribeEventRespond bool) ([]*ConsensusReactor, []chan interface{}) {
 	reactors := make([]*ConsensusReactor, N)
 	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, N)
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
@@ -37,7 +34,11 @@ func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		reactors[i].SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
-		eventChans[i] = subscribeToEvent(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock(), 1)
+		if subscribeEventRespond {
+			eventChans[i] = subscribeToEventRespond(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock())
+		} else {
+			eventChans[i] = subscribeToEvent(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock(), 1)
+		}
 	}
 	// make connected switches and start all reactors
 	p2p.MakeConnectedSwitches(N, func(i int, s *p2p.Switch) *p2p.Switch {
@@ -45,12 +46,28 @@ func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
 		return s
 	}, p2p.Connect2Switches)
 
-	// start the state machines
+	// now that everyone is connected,  start the state machines
+	// If we started the state machines before everyone was connected,
+	// we'd block when the cs fires NewBlockEvent and the peers are trying to start their reactors
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
 		s := reactors[i].conS.GetState()
 		reactors[i].SwitchToConsensus(s)
 	}
+	return reactors, eventChans
+}
+
+func stopConsensusNet(reactors []*ConsensusReactor) {
+	for _, r := range reactors {
+		r.Switch.Stop()
+	}
+}
 
+// Ensure a testnet makes blocks
+func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
+	N := 4
+	css := randConsensusNet(N, "consensus_reactor_test", newMockTickerFunc(true), newCounter)
+	reactors, eventChans := startConsensusNet(t, css, N, false)
+	defer stopConsensusNet(reactors)
 	// wait till everyone makes the first new block
 	timeoutWaitGroup(t, N, func(wg *sync.WaitGroup, j int) {
 		<-eventChans[j]
@@ -64,32 +81,8 @@ func TestReactor(t *testing.T) {
 func TestVotingPowerChange(t *testing.T) {
 	nVals := 4
 	css := randConsensusNet(nVals, "consensus_voting_power_changes_test", newMockTickerFunc(true), newPersistentDummy)
-	reactors := make([]*ConsensusReactor, nVals)
-	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, nVals)
-	for i := 0; i < nVals; i++ {
-		reactors[i] = NewConsensusReactor(css[i], true) // so we dont start the consensus states
-
-		eventSwitch := events.NewEventSwitch()
-		_, err := eventSwitch.Start()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Failed to start switch: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		reactors[i].SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
-		eventChans[i] = subscribeToEventRespond(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock())
-	}
-	p2p.MakeConnectedSwitches(nVals, func(i int, s *p2p.Switch) *p2p.Switch {
-		s.AddReactor("CONSENSUS", reactors[i])
-		return s
-	}, p2p.Connect2Switches)
-
-	// now that everyone is connected,  start the state machines
-	// If we started the state machines before everyone was connected,
-	// we'd block when the cs fires NewBlockEvent and the peers are trying to start their reactors
-	for i := 0; i < nVals; i++ {
-		s := reactors[i].conS.GetState()
-		reactors[i].SwitchToConsensus(s)
-	}
+	reactors, eventChans := startConsensusNet(t, css, nVals, true)
+	defer stopConsensusNet(reactors)
 
 	// map of active validators
 	activeVals := make(map[string]struct{})
@@ -146,36 +139,11 @@ func TestVotingPowerChange(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
-	nPeers := 8
+	nPeers := 7
 	nVals := 4
 	css := randConsensusNetWithPeers(nVals, nPeers, "consensus_val_set_changes_test", newMockTickerFunc(true), newPersistentDummy)
-
-	reactors := make([]*ConsensusReactor, nPeers)
-	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, nPeers)
-	for i := 0; i < nPeers; i++ {
-		reactors[i] = NewConsensusReactor(css[i], true) // so we dont start the consensus states
-
-		eventSwitch := events.NewEventSwitch()
-		_, err := eventSwitch.Start()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Failed to start switch: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		reactors[i].SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
-		eventChans[i] = subscribeToEventRespond(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock())
-	}
-	p2p.MakeConnectedSwitches(nPeers, func(i int, s *p2p.Switch) *p2p.Switch {
-		s.AddReactor("CONSENSUS", reactors[i])
-		return s
-	}, p2p.Connect2Switches)
-
-	// now that everyone is connected,  start the state machines
-	// If we started the state machines before everyone was connected,
-	// we'd block when the cs fires NewBlockEvent and the peers are trying to start their reactors
-	for i := 0; i < nPeers; i++ {
-		s := reactors[i].conS.GetState()
-		reactors[i].SwitchToConsensus(s)
-	}
+	reactors, eventChans := startConsensusNet(t, css, nPeers, true)
+	defer stopConsensusNet(reactors)
 
 	// map of active validators
 	activeVals := make(map[string]struct{})
@@ -266,37 +234,13 @@ func TestValidatorSetChanges(t *testing.T) {
 func TestReactorWithTimeoutCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	N := 4
 	css := randConsensusNet(N, "consensus_reactor_with_timeout_commit_test", newMockTickerFunc(false), newCounter)
-
 	// override default SkipTimeoutCommit == true for tests
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
 		css[i].timeoutParams.SkipTimeoutCommit = false
 	}
 
-	reactors := make([]*ConsensusReactor, N-1)
-	eventChans := make([]chan interface{}, N-1)
-	for i := 0; i < N-1; i++ {
-		reactors[i] = NewConsensusReactor(css[i], true) // so we dont start the consensus states
-
-		eventSwitch := events.NewEventSwitch()
-		_, err := eventSwitch.Start()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Failed to start switch: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		reactors[i].SetEventSwitch(eventSwitch)
-		eventChans[i] = subscribeToEvent(eventSwitch, "tester", types.EventStringNewBlock(), 1)
-	}
-	// make connected switches and start all reactors
-	p2p.MakeConnectedSwitches(N-1, func(i int, s *p2p.Switch) *p2p.Switch {
-		s.AddReactor("CONSENSUS", reactors[i])
-		return s
-	}, p2p.Connect2Switches)
-
-	// start the state machines
-	for i := 0; i < N-1; i++ {
-		s := reactors[i].conS.GetState()
-		reactors[i].SwitchToConsensus(s)
-	}
+	reactors, eventChans := startConsensusNet(t, css, N-1, false)
+	defer stopConsensusNet(reactors)
 
 	// wait till everyone makes the first new block
 	timeoutWaitGroup(t, N-1, func(wg *sync.WaitGroup, j int) {