diff --git a/internal/consensus/common_test.go b/internal/consensus/common_test.go
index 053e464a9..d40966a38 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ func configSetup(t *testing.T) *config.Config {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	t.Cleanup(func() { os.RemoveAll(configByzantineTest.RootDir) })
 
+	walDir := filepath.Dir(cfg.Consensus.WalFile())
+	ensureDir(t, walDir, 0700)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { os.RemoveAll(walDir) })
+
 	return cfg
 }
 
@@ -785,6 +789,7 @@ func makeConsensusState(
 	configOpts ...func(*config.Config),
 ) ([]*State, cleanupFunc) {
 	t.Helper()
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 	valSet, privVals := factory.ValidatorSet(ctx, t, nValidators, 30)
 	genDoc := factory.GenesisDoc(cfg, time.Now(), valSet.Validators, nil)
@@ -799,7 +804,7 @@ func makeConsensusState(
 		blockStore := store.NewBlockStore(dbm.NewMemDB()) // each state needs its own db
 		state, err := sm.MakeGenesisState(genDoc)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		thisConfig, err := ResetConfig(t.TempDir(), fmt.Sprintf("%s_%d", testName, i))
+		thisConfig, err := ResetConfig(tempDir, fmt.Sprintf("%s_%d", testName, i))
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		configRootDirs = append(configRootDirs, thisConfig.RootDir)
@@ -808,7 +813,9 @@ func makeConsensusState(
 			opt(thisConfig)
 		}
 
-		ensureDir(t, filepath.Dir(thisConfig.Consensus.WalFile()), 0700) // dir for wal
+		walDir := filepath.Dir(thisConfig.Consensus.WalFile())
+		ensureDir(t, walDir, 0700)
+		configRootDirs = append(configRootDirs, walDir)
 
 		app := kvstore.NewApplication()
 		closeFuncs = append(closeFuncs, app.Close)
diff --git a/internal/consensus/reactor_test.go b/internal/consensus/reactor_test.go
index 1fe395d69..ef816d85f 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/reactor_test.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/reactor_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -466,7 +465,6 @@ func TestReactorWithEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 
 		defer os.RemoveAll(thisConfig.RootDir)
 
-		ensureDir(t, path.Dir(thisConfig.Consensus.WalFile()), 0700) // dir for wal
 		app := kvstore.NewApplication()
 		vals := types.TM2PB.ValidatorUpdates(state.Validators)
 		app.InitChain(abci.RequestInitChain{Validators: vals})
@@ -564,7 +562,6 @@ func TestReactorCreatesBlockWhenEmptyBlocksFalse(t *testing.T) {
 			c.Consensus.CreateEmptyBlocks = false
 		},
 	)
-
 	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
 
 	rts := setup(ctx, t, n, states, 100) // buffer must be large enough to not deadlock