diff --git a/internal/consensus/common_test.go b/internal/consensus/common_test.go
index b0f22e54f..18a6310c3 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/common_test.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/common_test.go
@@ -885,8 +885,11 @@ func randConsensusNetWithPeers(
 
 		app := appFunc(logger, filepath.Join(cfg.DBDir(), fmt.Sprintf("%s_%d", testName, i)))
 		vals := types.TM2PB.ValidatorUpdates(state.Validators)
-		if _, ok := app.(*kvstore.PersistentKVStoreApplication); ok {
-			// simulate handshake, receive app version. If don't do this, replay test will fail
+		switch app.(type) {
+		// simulate handshake, receive app version. If don't do this, replay test will fail
+		case *kvstore.PersistentKVStoreApplication:
+			state.Version.Consensus.App = kvstore.ProtocolVersion
+		case *kvstore.Application:
 			state.Version.Consensus.App = kvstore.ProtocolVersion
 		}
 		app.InitChain(abci.RequestInitChain{Validators: vals})
@@ -973,10 +976,6 @@ func newEpehemeralKVStore(_ log.Logger, _ string) abci.Application {
 	return kvstore.NewApplication()
 }
 
-func newPersistentKVStore(logger log.Logger, dbDir string) abci.Application {
-	return kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(logger, dbDir)
-}
-
 func signDataIsEqual(v1 *types.Vote, v2 *tmproto.Vote) bool {
 	if v1 == nil || v2 == nil {
 		return false
diff --git a/internal/consensus/reactor.go b/internal/consensus/reactor.go
index 822e8c627..52e547bf6 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/reactor.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/reactor.go
@@ -348,6 +348,8 @@ func (r *Reactor) broadcastHasVoteMessage(ctx context.Context, vote *types.Vote)
 // internal pubsub defined in the consensus state to broadcast them to peers
 // upon receiving.
 func (r *Reactor) subscribeToBroadcastEvents() {
+	onStopCh := r.state.getOnStopCh()
+
 	err := r.state.evsw.AddListenerForEvent(
 		listenerIDConsensus,
 		types.EventNewRoundStepValue,
@@ -356,7 +358,7 @@ func (r *Reactor) subscribeToBroadcastEvents() {
 				return err
 			}
 			select {
-			case r.state.onStopCh <- data.(*cstypes.RoundState):
+			case onStopCh <- data.(*cstypes.RoundState):
 				return nil
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return ctx.Err()
diff --git a/internal/consensus/replay_test.go b/internal/consensus/replay_test.go
index c735e9977..66e890b83 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/replay_test.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/replay_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -338,13 +337,13 @@ func setupSimulator(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T) *simulatorTestSuite {
 		nPeers,
 		"replay_test",
 		newMockTickerFunc(true),
-		newPersistentKVStore)
+		newEpehemeralKVStore)
 	sim.Config = cfg
+	defer func() { t.Cleanup(cleanup) }()
 
 	var err error
 	sim.GenesisState, err = sm.MakeGenesisState(genDoc)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	sim.CleanupFunc = cleanup
 
 	partSize := types.BlockPartSizeBytes
 
@@ -584,9 +583,6 @@ func setupSimulator(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T) *simulatorTestSuite {
 		sim.Chain = append(sim.Chain, css[0].blockStore.LoadBlock(int64(i)))
 		sim.Commits = append(sim.Commits, css[0].blockStore.LoadBlockCommit(int64(i)))
 	}
-	if sim.CleanupFunc != nil {
-		t.Cleanup(sim.CleanupFunc)
-	}
 
 	return sim
 }
@@ -743,19 +739,14 @@ func testHandshakeReplay(
 	)
 	latestAppHash := state.AppHash
 
-	// make a new client creator
-	kvstoreApp := kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(logger,
-		filepath.Join(cfg.DBDir(), fmt.Sprintf("replay_test_%d_%d_a_r%d", nBlocks, mode, rand.Int())))
-	t.Cleanup(func() { require.NoError(t, kvstoreApp.Close()) })
-
 	eventBus := eventbus.NewDefault(logger)
 	require.NoError(t, eventBus.Start(ctx))
 
-	clientCreator2 := abciclient.NewLocalClient(logger, kvstoreApp)
+	client := abciclient.NewLocalClient(logger, kvstore.NewApplication())
 	if nBlocks > 0 {
 		// run nBlocks against a new client to build up the app state.
 		// use a throwaway tendermint state
-		proxyApp := proxy.New(clientCreator2, logger, proxy.NopMetrics())
+		proxyApp := proxy.New(client, logger, proxy.NopMetrics())
 		stateDB1 := dbm.NewMemDB()
 		stateStore := sm.NewStore(stateDB1)
 		err := stateStore.Save(genesisState)
@@ -776,7 +767,7 @@ func testHandshakeReplay(
 	genDoc, err := sm.MakeGenesisDocFromFile(cfg.GenesisFile())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	handshaker := NewHandshaker(logger, stateStore, state, store, eventBus, genDoc)
-	proxyApp := proxy.New(clientCreator2, logger, proxy.NopMetrics())
+	proxyApp := proxy.New(client, logger, proxy.NopMetrics())
 	require.NoError(t, proxyApp.Start(ctx), "Error starting proxy app connections")
 	require.True(t, proxyApp.IsRunning())
 	require.NotNil(t, proxyApp)
@@ -905,10 +896,7 @@ func buildTMStateFromChain(
 	t.Helper()
 
 	// run the whole chain against this client to build up the tendermint state
-	kvstoreApp := kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(logger,
-		filepath.Join(cfg.DBDir(), fmt.Sprintf("replay_test_%d_%d_t", nBlocks, mode)))
-	defer kvstoreApp.Close()
-	client := abciclient.NewLocalClient(logger, kvstoreApp)
+	client := abciclient.NewLocalClient(logger, kvstore.NewApplication())
 
 	proxyApp := proxy.New(client, logger, proxy.NopMetrics())
 	require.NoError(t, proxyApp.Start(ctx))
diff --git a/internal/consensus/state.go b/internal/consensus/state.go
index 00519a884..109e90683 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/state.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/state.go
@@ -452,10 +452,6 @@ func (cs *State) OnStart(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := cs.evsw.Start(ctx); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// Double Signing Risk Reduction
 	if err := cs.checkDoubleSigningRisk(cs.Height); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -497,12 +493,19 @@ func (cs *State) loadWalFile(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (cs *State) getOnStopCh() chan *cstypes.RoundState {
+	cs.mtx.RLock()
+	defer cs.mtx.RUnlock()
+
+	return cs.onStopCh
+}
+
 // OnStop implements service.Service.
 func (cs *State) OnStop() {
 	// If the node is committing a new block, wait until it is finished!
 	if cs.GetRoundState().Step == cstypes.RoundStepCommit {
 		select {
-		case <-cs.onStopCh:
+		case <-cs.getOnStopCh():
 		case <-time.After(cs.config.TimeoutCommit):
 			cs.logger.Error("OnStop: timeout waiting for commit to finish", "time", cs.config.TimeoutCommit)
 		}
@@ -510,10 +513,6 @@ func (cs *State) OnStop() {
 
 	close(cs.onStopCh)
 
-	if cs.evsw.IsRunning() {
-		cs.evsw.Stop()
-	}
-
 	if cs.timeoutTicker.IsRunning() {
 		cs.timeoutTicker.Stop()
 	}
diff --git a/internal/consensus/wal_generator.go b/internal/consensus/wal_generator.go
index e99c054c0..b2e2e7131 100644
--- a/internal/consensus/wal_generator.go
+++ b/internal/consensus/wal_generator.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	mrand "math/rand"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -26,18 +25,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
-// WALGenerateNBlocks generates a consensus WAL. It does this by spinning up a
-// stripped down version of node (proxy app, event bus, consensus state) with a
-// persistent kvstore application and special consensus wal instance
-// (byteBufferWAL) and waits until numBlocks are created.
+// WALGenerateNBlocks generates a consensus WAL. It does this by
+// spinning up a stripped down version of node (proxy app, event bus,
+// consensus state) with a kvstore application and special consensus
+// wal instance (byteBufferWAL) and waits until numBlocks are created.
 // If the node fails to produce given numBlocks, it fails the test.
 func WALGenerateNBlocks(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, logger log.Logger, wr io.Writer, numBlocks int) {
 	t.Helper()
 
 	cfg := getConfig(t)
 
-	app := kvstore.NewPersistentKVStoreApplication(logger, filepath.Join(cfg.DBDir(), "wal_generator"))
-	t.Cleanup(func() { require.NoError(t, app.Close()) })
+	app := kvstore.NewApplication()
 
 	logger.Info("generating WAL (last height msg excluded)", "numBlocks", numBlocks)
 
diff --git a/internal/libs/autofile/group.go b/internal/libs/autofile/group.go
index 0d1806f22..81e16feea 100644
--- a/internal/libs/autofile/group.go
+++ b/internal/libs/autofile/group.go
@@ -69,11 +69,6 @@ type Group struct {
 	minIndex           int // Includes head
 	maxIndex           int // Includes head, where Head will move to
 
-	// close this when the processTicks routine is done.
-	// this ensures we can cleanup the dir after calling Stop
-	// and the routine won't be trying to access it anymore
-	doneProcessTicks chan struct{}
-
 	// TODO: When we start deleting files, we need to start tracking GroupReaders
 	// and their dependencies.
 }
@@ -101,7 +96,6 @@ func OpenGroup(ctx context.Context, logger log.Logger, headPath string, groupOpt
 		groupCheckDuration: defaultGroupCheckDuration,
 		minIndex:           0,
 		maxIndex:           0,
-		doneProcessTicks:   make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	for _, option := range groupOptions {
@@ -154,13 +148,6 @@ func (g *Group) OnStop() {
 	}
 }
 
-// Wait blocks until all internal goroutines are finished. Supposed to be
-// called after Stop.
-func (g *Group) Wait() {
-	// wait for processTicks routine to finish
-	<-g.doneProcessTicks
-}
-
 // Close closes the head file. The group must be stopped by this moment.
 func (g *Group) Close() {
 	if err := g.FlushAndSync(); err != nil {
@@ -241,8 +228,6 @@ func (g *Group) FlushAndSync() error {
 }
 
 func (g *Group) processTicks(ctx context.Context) {
-	defer close(g.doneProcessTicks)
-
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/libs/events/events.go b/libs/events/events.go
index 5ab5961f6..d96afd7bd 100644
--- a/libs/events/events.go
+++ b/libs/events/events.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/service"
 )
 
 // ErrListenerWasRemoved is returned by AddEvent if the listener was removed.
@@ -45,16 +44,11 @@ type Fireable interface {
 // They can be removed by calling either RemoveListenerForEvent or
 // RemoveListener (for all events).
 type EventSwitch interface {
-	service.Service
 	Fireable
-	Stop()
-
 	AddListenerForEvent(listenerID, eventValue string, cb EventCallback) error
 }
 
 type eventSwitch struct {
-	service.BaseService
-
 	mtx        sync.RWMutex
 	eventCells map[string]*eventCell
 	listeners  map[string]*eventListener
@@ -65,13 +59,9 @@ func NewEventSwitch(logger log.Logger) EventSwitch {
 		eventCells: make(map[string]*eventCell),
 		listeners:  make(map[string]*eventListener),
 	}
-	evsw.BaseService = *service.NewBaseService(logger, "EventSwitch", evsw)
 	return evsw
 }
 
-func (evsw *eventSwitch) OnStart(ctx context.Context) error { return nil }
-func (evsw *eventSwitch) OnStop()                           {}
-
 func (evsw *eventSwitch) AddListenerForEvent(listenerID, eventValue string, cb EventCallback) error {
 	// Get/Create eventCell and listener.
 	evsw.mtx.Lock()
diff --git a/libs/events/events_test.go b/libs/events/events_test.go
index 15f208e06..55e0103da 100644
--- a/libs/events/events_test.go
+++ b/libs/events/events_test.go
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ func TestAddListenerForEventFireOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := log.NewTestingLogger(t)
 
 	evsw := NewEventSwitch(logger)
-	require.NoError(t, evsw.Start(ctx))
-	t.Cleanup(evsw.Wait)
 
 	messages := make(chan EventData)
 	require.NoError(t, evsw.AddListenerForEvent("listener", "event",
@@ -50,8 +48,6 @@ func TestAddListenerForEventFireMany(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := log.NewTestingLogger(t)
 
 	evsw := NewEventSwitch(logger)
-	require.NoError(t, evsw.Start(ctx))
-	t.Cleanup(evsw.Wait)
 
 	doneSum := make(chan uint64)
 	doneSending := make(chan uint64)
@@ -88,8 +84,6 @@ func TestAddListenerForDifferentEvents(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := log.NewTestingLogger(t)
 
 	evsw := NewEventSwitch(logger)
-	require.NoError(t, evsw.Start(ctx))
-	t.Cleanup(evsw.Wait)
 
 	doneSum := make(chan uint64)
 	doneSending1 := make(chan uint64)
@@ -151,9 +145,6 @@ func TestAddDifferentListenerForDifferentEvents(t *testing.T) {
 
 	logger := log.NewTestingLogger(t)
 	evsw := NewEventSwitch(logger)
-	require.NoError(t, evsw.Start(ctx))
-
-	t.Cleanup(evsw.Wait)
 
 	doneSum1 := make(chan uint64)
 	doneSum2 := make(chan uint64)
@@ -247,8 +238,6 @@ func TestManageListenersAsync(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := log.NewTestingLogger(t)
 
 	evsw := NewEventSwitch(logger)
-	require.NoError(t, evsw.Start(ctx))
-	t.Cleanup(evsw.Wait)
 
 	doneSum1 := make(chan uint64)
 	doneSum2 := make(chan uint64)