diff --git a/consensus/common_test.go b/consensus/common_test.go
index 953339c20..48a452de1 100644
--- a/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -704,7 +705,10 @@ func randConsensusState(
 	css := make([]*State, nValidators)
 	logger := consensusLogger()
 
+	closeFuncs := make([]func() error, 0, nValidators)
+
 	configRootDirs := make([]string, 0, nValidators)
+
 	for i := 0; i < nValidators; i++ {
 		stateDB := dbm.NewMemDB() // each state needs its own db
 		stateStore := sm.NewStore(stateDB)
@@ -719,6 +723,11 @@ func randConsensusState(
 		ensureDir(filepath.Dir(thisConfig.Consensus.WalFile()), 0700) // dir for wal
 
 		app := appFunc()
+
+		if appCloser, ok := app.(io.Closer); ok {
+			closeFuncs = append(closeFuncs, appCloser.Close)
+		}
+
 		vals := types.TM2PB.ValidatorUpdates(state.Validators)
 		app.InitChain(abci.RequestInitChain{Validators: vals})
 
@@ -728,6 +737,9 @@ func randConsensusState(
 	}
 
 	return css, func() {
+		for _, closer := range closeFuncs {
+			_ = closer()
+		}
 		for _, dir := range configRootDirs {
 			os.RemoveAll(dir)
 		}
diff --git a/consensus/replay_file.go b/consensus/replay_file.go
index 4bf7466ab..2244d868e 100644
--- a/consensus/replay_file.go
+++ b/consensus/replay_file.go
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ func newConsensusStateForReplay(config cfg.BaseConfig, csConfig *cfg.ConsensusCo
 	}
 
 	// Create proxyAppConn connection (consensus, mempool, query)
-	clientCreator := proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir())
+	clientCreator, _ := proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir())
 	proxyApp := proxy.NewAppConns(clientCreator)
 	err = proxyApp.Start()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 4b2b584ae..477b4ca9a 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -126,10 +126,12 @@ func DefaultNewNode(config *cfg.Config, logger log.Logger) (*Node, error) {
 	} else {
 		pval = nil
 	}
+
+	appClient, _ := proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir())
 	return NewNode(config,
 		pval,
 		nodeKey,
-		proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir()),
+		appClient,
 		DefaultGenesisDocProviderFunc(config),
 		DefaultDBProvider,
 		DefaultMetricsProvider(config.Instrumentation),
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index d55a8d280..3290dbcd2 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -499,10 +499,12 @@ func TestNodeNewNodeCustomReactors(t *testing.T) {
 	pval, err := privval.LoadOrGenFilePV(config.PrivValidatorKeyFile(), config.PrivValidatorStateFile())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	appClient, closer := proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir())
+	t.Cleanup(func() { closer.Close() })
 	n, err := NewNode(config,
 		pval,
 		nodeKey,
-		proxy.DefaultClientCreator(config.ProxyApp, config.ABCI, config.DBDir()),
+		appClient,
 		DefaultGenesisDocProviderFunc(config),
 		DefaultDBProvider,
 		DefaultMetricsProvider(config.Instrumentation),
diff --git a/proxy/client.go b/proxy/client.go
index 27baa9738..f57c603ca 100644
--- a/proxy/client.go
+++ b/proxy/client.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package proxy
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 
 	abcicli "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/client"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/example/counter"
@@ -69,20 +70,28 @@ func (r *remoteClientCreator) NewABCIClient() (abcicli.Client, error) {
 // DefaultClientCreator returns a default ClientCreator, which will create a
 // local client if addr is one of: 'counter', 'counter_serial', 'kvstore',
 // 'persistent_kvstore' or 'noop', otherwise - a remote client.
-func DefaultClientCreator(addr, transport, dbDir string) ClientCreator {
+//
+// The Closer is a noop except for persistent_kvstore applications,
+// which will clean up the store.
+func DefaultClientCreator(addr, transport, dbDir string) (ClientCreator, io.Closer) {
 	switch addr {
 	case "counter":
-		return NewLocalClientCreator(counter.NewApplication(false))
+		return NewLocalClientCreator(counter.NewApplication(false)), noopCloser{}
 	case "counter_serial":
-		return NewLocalClientCreator(counter.NewApplication(true))
+		return NewLocalClientCreator(counter.NewApplication(true)), noopCloser{}
 	case "kvstore":
-		return NewLocalClientCreator(kvstore.NewApplication())
+		return NewLocalClientCreator(kvstore.NewApplication()), noopCloser{}
 	case "persistent_kvstore":
-		return NewLocalClientCreator(kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(dbDir))
+		app := kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(dbDir)
+		return NewLocalClientCreator(app), app
 	case "noop":
-		return NewLocalClientCreator(types.NewBaseApplication())
+		return NewLocalClientCreator(types.NewBaseApplication()), noopCloser{}
 	default:
 		mustConnect := false // loop retrying
-		return NewRemoteClientCreator(addr, transport, mustConnect)
+		return NewRemoteClientCreator(addr, transport, mustConnect), noopCloser{}
 	}
 }
+
+type noopCloser struct{}
+
+func (noopCloser) Close() error { return nil }
diff --git a/rpc/client/main_test.go b/rpc/client/main_test.go
index c97311c81..cab8b7cdd 100644
--- a/rpc/client/main_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client/main_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 
 	// and shut down proper at the end
 	rpctest.StopTendermint(node)
+	app.Close()
 	_ = os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	os.Exit(code)
 }