diff --git a/example/block_aware/block_aware_test.go b/example/block_aware/block_aware_test.go
index 38acdd513..05a5c05c3 100644
--- a/example/block_aware/block_aware_test.go
+++ b/example/block_aware/block_aware_test.go
@@ -27,11 +27,10 @@ func TestChainAware(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Connect to the socket
 	client := abcicli.NewSocketClient("unix://test.sock", false)
+	client.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-client"))
 	if _, err := client.Start(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error starting socket client: %v", err.Error())
 	}
-	client.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-client"))
-	client.Start()
 	defer client.Stop()
 
 	n := uint64(5)
diff --git a/example/example_test.go b/example/example_test.go
index 7e116c59b..e9505f223 100644
--- a/example/example_test.go
+++ b/example/example_test.go
@@ -39,19 +39,18 @@ func testStream(t *testing.T, app types.Application) {
 
 	// Start the listener
 	server := server.NewSocketServer("unix://test.sock", app)
+	server.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-server"))
 	if _, err := server.Start(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error starting socket server: %v", err.Error())
 	}
-	server.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-server"))
 	defer server.Stop()
 
 	// Connect to the socket
 	client := abcicli.NewSocketClient("unix://test.sock", false)
+	client.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-client"))
 	if _, err := client.Start(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error starting socket client: %v", err.Error())
 	}
-	client.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-client"))
-	client.Start()
 	defer client.Stop()
 
 	done := make(chan struct{})
@@ -113,10 +112,10 @@ func testGRPCSync(t *testing.T, app *types.GRPCApplication) {
 
 	// Start the listener
 	server := server.NewGRPCServer("unix://test.sock", app)
+	server.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-server"))
 	if _, err := server.Start(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error starting GRPC server: %v", err.Error())
 	}
-	server.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("module", "abci-server"))
 	defer server.Stop()
 
 	// Connect to the socket
diff --git a/tests/test_app/app.go b/tests/test_app/app.go
index 3930957d7..281c9dcb1 100644
--- a/tests/test_app/app.go
+++ b/tests/test_app/app.go
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ func startClient(abciType string) abcicli.Client {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err.Error())
 	}
+	logger := log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout))
+	client.SetLogger(logger.With("module", "abcicli"))
 	if _, err := client.Start(); err != nil {
 		panic("connecting to abci_app: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
-	logger := log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout))
-	client.SetLogger(logger.With("module", "abcicli"))
 	return client
 }
 
diff --git a/types/validators.go b/types/validators.go
index a83c6d40a..95258aa23 100644
--- a/types/validators.go
+++ b/types/validators.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
 // validators implements sort
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ func ValidatorsString(vs Validators) string {
 	for i, v := range vs {
 		s[i] = validatorPretty{v.PubKey, v.Power}
 	}
-	b, _ := json.Marshal(s)
+	b, err := json.Marshal(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		cmn.PanicSanity(err.Error())
+	}
 	return string(b)
 }